DOH to Enforce RH Program Next Year

Starting January 2015, the Department of Health (DOH) 7 will strictly implement the reproductive health program embodied in the reproductive health (RH) law, Dr. Jovette S. Guinal, Family Health Regional Coordinator of the DOH 7 said on Wednesday.

Guinal said the RH law was finally approved earlier this year so the DOH, being the prime government office to handle health programs, is now preparing everything to educate couples regarding the importance of family planning.

“Family planning is not totally family control, but it is to handle the family basically by means of scientific planning where every couple can manage to take care good health, foods, clothing and most importantly education to their children”, Guinal said.

However, Guinal said the most ideal number of every family is 6 as the maximum, and 4, the minimum, including the father and mother.

“So the RH law is not only allowing every Filipino family to be happy, but the most important is it can give the basic needs of its children and this aspects is also means a part of nation building”, Guinal said.

August is a month when the celebration of Philippine National Family Planning occurs and the series of activities are already lined up for implementation.

Guinal said they have no right to demand the type of birth control to be adopted by couples but “we have to respect their legal rights to choose whether they have to adopt family planning methods or not”.

Guinal also introduced different types of birth control which is also presented in the RH law such as natural family planning methods, where adoption or implementation only depends on the mutual arrangement of husband and wife.

Rhythm and withdrawal are also part of natural family planning methods, which basically needs mutual understanding of the pair.

Using pills, IUD and condoms, are another common and casual mean of birth control, Guinal said. She also added that ligation for women and vasectomy for men are the ultimate design of family planning methods when the couple want to totally stop bearing child.

However, Guinal also said a latest discovery of a “chip” birth control intervention to be implanted and inserted into the woman’s upper left arm is now to be introduced to the Filipino couples.

“Its limit is up to three years for a woman not to bear a child, and upon its withdrawal from the woman’s arm, her fertilization again occurs allowing her to bear a child if she wants”, Guinal said.

She also explained that this kind of birth control intervention will be thoroughly discussed during seminars on family planning but its strict implementation will start on 2015.

Guinal also informs every couple that all birth control gadgets are already displayed in all barangay health center strictly for free to the right and legal users.