Dialysis machine, surgical mission for Santa Rosa community Canada launches C$17.5M women empowerment program

Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation (TMPF), the social and humanitarian arm of Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP), recently donated one unit of dialysis machine to the Santa Rosa Community Hospital Dialysis Center.

Simultaneously, TMPF held its 54th medical-surgical outreach program in partnership with the local government and Makati Medical Center (MMC).

Nineteen pre-screened

The Canadian government launched yesterday a five-year program that aims to empower women and girls in remote and disadvantaged areas in the Philippines.

Canada Ambassador John Holmes led the launch of the Sexual Health and Empowerment (SHE) Philippines project which will be implemented in partnership with Oxfam Canada.

With a funding of 17.5 million Canadian dollars, SHE patients with cases of cholecystolithiasis, goiter, hemorrhoid, hernia, and small cysts underwent surgery performed by MMC surgeon-volunteers.

Since 1992 Toyota has been providing health assistance to more than 100,000 constituents.

At the donation ceremony were (from left) TMPF assistant vice president Ronald Gaspar, treasurer Blesilda Rodriguez, president Dr. David Go, TMP aims to provide greater access to sexual and reproductive health services to more than 85,000 women and girls in the Philippines.

In a previous statement, Oxfam Canada said the SHE project will address barriers that prevent women from exercising their rights including gender inequality, sex trafficking, lack of access to resources, sexual and gender-based violence and child and early forced marriage.

The project will also advocate for the implementation president Satoru Suzuki, Santa Rosa Community Hospital medical director Dr. Parnell Patacsil, Laguna of existing laws and policies to safeguard the rights of women and girls.

The SHE project will train midwives and public health workers, and provide youthfriendly sexual health outreach services for girls and boys.

According to the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) more than a third of women pregnancies in the Philippines are unwanted.

The Philippines, it said, has the third highest adolescent fertility rate in South Rep. Arlene Arcillas, Santa Rosa Mayor Dan Fernandez and Vice Mayor Arnold Arcillas. Asia, with 57 births per 1,000 deliveries for girls aged 15 to 19.

Citing 2016 data from the World Health Organization, Oxfam said unintended pregnancies could potentially lead to maternal/perinatal death and unsafe abortions.

Meanwhile, a 2013 survey of the NDHS showed that 20 percent of Filipino women have experienced physical violence from the age of 15; six percent encountered sexual violence and four percent were beaten during their pregnancy.