LUBAO, Pampanga – Some 134 pregnant women from various towns undergone free prenatal checkup at the Escolastica Romero District Hospital (ERDH) here.
The event is still part of the ongoing Buntis Checkup program of the Capitol, headed by Governor Lilia G. Pineda, in line with its mission to eliminate maternal deaths in the province.
Records of nurses in ERDH show majority of the expectant mothers were from Sta. Ana town brought here and assisted by their respective barangay health workers. Some were walk-in patients from this town and neighbor municipality Guagua.
According to Elizabeth Baybayan, provincial social welfare and development officer, Family Access Cards will be issued to patients who are not PhilHealth members which will give them corresponding discount rates upon availing medical services in the 11 district and provincial hospitals here.
One of the patients, Jingle Franco of barangay Sta. Maria in Sta. Ana, was found to have twin babies and is already near her due date during initial interviews.
Accordingly, Franco was immediately given a schedule for her C-section delivery in Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Hospital and was awarded with a Family Access Card.
Governor Pineda, together with Board Members Monina Laus and Trina Dizon, was delighted with the good news and volunteered to be godparents for the expected twin babies of Franco.
Before parting with them, Governor Pineda reminded the to-be mothers to take good care of themselves to ensure the safety of their unborn babies. She also instructed them to take the vitamins provided to them religiously and attend regular checkups.
“The health of your babies will depend on how you take care of yourself while you’re pregnant, thus making sure you are healthy now will ensure the future of the new generation of Kapampangans,” Pineda ended.
By Angelique Tuazon, PIO Pampanga
