World Vision signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with partner provincial and municipal local government units(LGUs) in Northern Samar and Samar in implementation of the Korea International Cooperation Agency’s (KOICA) Maternal Newborn and Child Health Project in the region on November 24, 2022 in Oriental, Palo, Leyte.
The MOA signing ceremony was participated by the provincial vice governor of Northern Samar, municipal mayors, vice mayors, municipal health officers, and public health nurses of the municipalities of Palapag, Laoang, Silvino Lubos, Pambujan, Matuguinao, San Jorge, Basey, and Marabut.
Present during the ceremony were KOICA Philippines Country Director Mr. Kim Eunsub, KOICA Philippines Assistant Country Director Ms. Ahrum Lee, World Vision Korea Vice President for International Ministry Soonyoung Choi, World Vision Philippines National Director Rommel V. Fuerte, Operations Director Ajab-Aram R. Macapagat, Finance Director Zuzee Sabare, Project Director Jihwan Jeon, and Project Manager Bonifacio M. Calapan.
In his message Mr. Kim Eunsub emphasized that the health sector remains one of the priority areas of the Korean government for its official development assistance (ODA) cooperation with the Philippines.
“Through this project, we reaffirm our commitment in providing support to our development health partners here in the country. We truly hope that this project will further improve the health of women, children and its other beneficiaries” he said.
Department of Health Region 8 representative Dr. Fidelita Dico and National Nutrition Council Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr. re-affirms their support in the implementation of the project and to strengthen the partnership to reach the most vulnerable target beneficiaries.
Samar Vice Governor Arnold Tan likewise expressed his thanks and gratitude to KOICA and World Vision for the commitment to help and assist the province in the MNCH program being one of the priority areas of the provincial government.
The KOICA MNCH Project aims to Ensure Healthy Lives of Mothers and Infant/Child to Reduce Maternal Mortality Rate by improving maternal and child health service level through enhanced community MNCH service seeking behavior and strengthened community engagement, ensuring quality MNCH service provision to secure DOH facility certification, maximizing development effectiveness and maternal and child health outcomes, and enhancing awareness to increase possibility for expanding MNCH project.
The target beneficiaries of the project are pregnant and lactating women/adolescents, community health workers, RHU medical personnel, children under 5 years old, and caregivers and support the global goals on Good Health and Well-Being and Gender Equality.
Last December 2021, the same MOA was signed between World Vision and provincial local government units of Leyte and Eastern Samar covering the municipalities of Pastrana, Tabontabon, Tolosa, Santa. Fe and General Macarthur, Quinapondan, Taft, and Dolores.
The KOICA and World Vision handed over the newly- constructed and renovated barangay health stations and health centers in Leyte and Eastern Samar as one of the commitments of the KOICA MNCH Project to upgrade the quality of maternal, newborn, and child health services in the project areas.
On November 25, 2022 in Leyte, the project handed-over newly-renovated barangay health station in Barangay Burak, Tolosa and in Brgy.Bulod, Sta. Fe, both in Leyte.
Present during the ceremony were KOICA Philippines Country Director Mr. Kim Eunsub, KOICA Philippines Assistant Country Director Ms. Ahrum Lee, World Vision Korea Vice President for International Ministry Soonyoung Choi, World Vision Philippines National Director Rommel V. Fuerte, Operations Director Ajab-Aram R. Macapagat, Finance Director Zuzee Sabare, Project Director Jihwan Jeon, and Project Manager Bonifacio M. Calapan.
The respective barangay and municipal officials of Tolosa and Sta. Fe, in their message of acceptance, expressed their great appreciation and gratitude to KOICA and World Vision for their generosity to their community as they pledged to take good care of the facility and ensure that the catchment barangays will benefit the services committed along with the improved health facility.
In Eastern Samar, the project handed-over newly renovated barangay health stations to the LGUs of Taft and Quinapondan, and the newly-constructed WASH facility in Gen. Macarthur.
During the hand-over ceremony, the Project Director Jihwan Jeon and World Vision Philippines Finance Director Zuzee Sabare expressed their heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation for the partnership and deep commitment of the LGUs to partner with KOICA and World Vision in its mission to improve the maternal and child health care services in the partner municipalities.
Department of Health (DOH) Region 8 representative Dr. Milagros Salvacion Bolito expressed her full support and willingness to partner with KOICA, World Vision, and LGUs in its aim to improve and provide quality maternal services in Eastern Visayas Region.
Remained motivated and inspired to continuously serve their communities, the week-long ceremonies were graced by barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, rural health unit medical workers, members of the communities, and local government units.
At least 13 more health facilities are expected to be hand-over to the target beneficiaries targeted to be licensed as BEmONC facilities by DOH. (PR)
