TACLOBAN CITY– The Tacloban City government is in talks with humanitarian organization World Vision for the possible inclusion of the city in the expansion of the KOICA-supported maternal, newborn and child health project in Eastern Visayas, Mayor Alfred Romualdez said.
Romualdez said discussions are ongoing to make Tacloban part of the project’s next phase, which aims to strengthen maternal and child health services across the region.
“We are currently in discussions with World Vision to include Tacloban City in the expansion of the KOICA Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Project in Eastern Visayas,” the mayor said.
Under the project, the city hopes to boost maternal and child healthcare services by building stronger local health systems, upgrading facilities, improving medical support, and ensuring continuous professional training for healthcare workers.
“This project seeks to strengthen maternal and child health services through more resilient health systems, upgraded facilities, better medical support, and sustained professional training for our healthcare workers,” Romualdez explained.
The mayor emphasized that the city government fully supports initiatives that enhance healthcare delivery, particularly those that safeguard the well-being of mothers and infants.
“The city government gives its full support to initiatives like this, especially if they will further improve the care and protection of our mothers and babies, and give every family a safer start,” he added.
The Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Project is funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented in partnership with local stakeholders to help reduce maternal and infant mortality rates and improve access to quality healthcare services.
If approved, Tacloban’s inclusion in the project would further strengthen the city’s ongoing efforts to enhance public health services, particularly for vulnerable sectors, as it continues to rebuild and modernize its healthcare system years after major disasters impacted the region.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
