Making Every Newborn Live to See the Next Day

July 29, 2021. Turn over ceremony and unveiling of the marker for the donation of neonatal intensive care equipment to Northern Mindanao Medical Center. This is a labor of love by project chair PP Ophie Dela Cerna under the directorship of PP Ella Yu with the support of PDG Bing Juarez and Past Presidents and the whole club.

The Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro East Urban, an All Ladies Club of 79 members, headed by Club Immediate Past President Daisy C Tiu, during her term, took on the challenge to provide much needed neonatal intensive care equipment to help NMMC cope with the growing number of patients at the NICU.

In Rotary Year 2020-2021, through the help of the District headed by IPDG “Bong” Buot and District Rotary Foundation Chair PDG “Manny” Along , the Club applied for a Global Grant of US60,000.00 to the Rotary Foundation and was consequently approved and funded. This project is under the Rotary Foundation’s area of focus of maternal and child’s health.

NMMC, the largest referral center in the region and a level 3 DOH Hospital that serves 5 provinces, 9 cities, 84 municipalities and 2022 Barangay, delivers an average of 500-700 babies every month with 40-70 of these being born prematurely.

The project aims to reduce morbidity and mortality of infants born at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) admitted at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with the procurement and donation of the much needed life sustaining equipment like ventilators; essential machines for certain diseases like phototherapy units and incubators; and technology for monitoring conditions like pulse oximeter and cardiac monitors; to additionally help cater to all sick newborns.

This project was funded through the Rotary Foundation Global Grant 2119812, RY 2020-2021 With International partners District 3590, 3710 and 3730, Republic of Korea and The Rotary Club of Gangreung-Youngdong, Korea. Special thanks also to our local partners, the RI District 3870 and cooperating institution DOH-Northern Mindanao Medical Center.

Present during the turnover were President Biema Along, District 3870 Governor John Mark Sarraga; IPDG Rogelio “Bong” Buot; District Foundation Chair PDG Manuel “Manny” Along; our very own PDG Fe”Bing “ Juarez; AG Katrina Sarraga; President Kyla Bagsic, IPP Marga Divinagracia; PP Jo Yap from our Sister Club Rotary Club of Paseo Roxas; DOH Regional Director Dr. Jose Llacuna, Jr.; partners from NMMC: DR. Jose Chan Chief of Hospital; Dr. Kathryn Ruby Lagunilla; Dr. Janine Lyne Polisbo; Dr. Jocelyn Go; Dr. Jessamine Sareno; Dr. Peter Quiaoit; we had with us also the sister of PP Agnes Adviento, Dr. Ethel Balahay, a Pediatrician from Butuan City; Global team led by Chair PP Ophelia De La Cerna with PAG Ella Yu, PP Vicky Abogado; PP Arlyn Niere, PP Bebotte Chu, Rtn. Ann Aquino, Director Grace Go, Rtns. Alix Faburada, and Myra Sicat; our club Paul Harris fellow/ Society Members/Donors to the Rotary Foundation and all Past Presidents and members of RCCDOEU. Last but not the least our Tech support RTN. Pam Salon and Ann Aquino and the NMMC ITs.

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