DOH-7 offers free ligation, vasectomy

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Health-7 is providing an option for parents with large families to avail of the free bilateral tubal ligation for females and vasectomy for males through a voluntary surgical sterilization in connection with this week's observance of Safe Motherhood.

Dra. Ma. Socorro Entera, head of the maternal and child health of DOH-7, said the health department simply wants to make available access to surgical procedures for parents who are willing to undergo any of these for their personal family planning purposes.

The free bilateral tubal ligation will be conducted tomorrow and Tuesday at the St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in Barangay Basak Pardo.

But Entera said they will not perform the operation if the couple will not undergo consultation considering that the procedure will be permanent.

“Amo gyud una sila i-counsel. Kasagaran mo-undergo sa operation, they want to limit their children. (We give them counseling. Most of those who undergo operation want to limit their children.)” she said.

DOH reported that millions of Filipino women are at high risk when they become pregnant because they are either too young (below 18 years old) or too old (over 35 years old), have had four or more pregnancies, have had too close or unspaced pregnancies (less than 15 months), and/or are suffering from some form of illness.

Entera also reiterated that at least, a midwife must be the only one who should attend to a child delivery. She discourages home deliveries and said it has now become a strong advocacy of the Health Department to require pregnant mothers to submit themselves to Health Centers in their locality where a midwife attends to them.

Meanwhile, over 30 percent of women in Central Visayas use the modern family planning methods as the Department of Health (DOH-7) continues its advocacy programs on family planning, giving emphasis on informed choice for couples to decide.

Entera said that 34.6 percent of women in the region use modern family planning methods including contraceptives.

Based on the data, as of the first quarter, the use of pills still ranks number one with 14.4% or 137,900. It was followed by IUD with 8.1% or 77,600; Injectables with 1.9% or 18,200; condoms with 3.6% or 34,500 and BTL with 6.8% or 65,100. (FREEMAN)