Issue No. 67 - November to December 2011 - DOH

Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona (left) poses with 12-year old Lorrize Mae L. Guevarra (center, thesymbolic 6 Billionth Baby who was born on October 12, 1999) and her mother. (Photo by PakingRepelente)number of children that a mother bearsduring her entire reproductive life has gonedown from 5 in the 1950s to 2.5 in 2010.However, fertility rates in least developedregions remain at a high of 4.2%.Daniels also noted that in thePhilippines, 49% of the population lives incities as more people from the rural areaslook for better opportunities elsewhere.Internal migration, according to Daniels,poses issues that have to be addressed suchtrafficking of women.Also, Daniels said that thePhilippines is composed mostly of youngpeople under the age of 25 years making upfor 54% of the population. Because of this,there is a need to respond to the needs ofyoung people by providing them with lifeskills, including proper information abouttheir sexuality.Presently, about 10% of Filipinogirls between the ages of 15 and 19 are nowbecoming mothers. These young people arealso becoming increasingly vulnerable to HIVinfections. Latest data from the Departmentof Health revealed that an average of eightnew cases of HIV infection are reportedeveryday compared to one or two some fouror five years ago. What makes the situationeven worse is that these new cases belong tothe most productive age.Former Health Secretary AlbertoRomualdez urged that people shouldbecome impatient on the promise of qualityhealth care for all and start demanding forit. The whole sector should work doubly hardand outrun the pace of population growthif it were to provide quality health careservices for all and achieve its MillenniumDevelopment Goals.The world’s population willcontinue to increase but the time to act isnot now, but yesterday.BinyagPARI:MAGULANG:PARI:MAGULANG:PARI:MAGULANG:PARI:MAGULANG:PARI:Pagkaganda-gandang kambal. At babae't lalaki pa. Sino sa inyo ang mga magulang?Kami po, Father.Ano ang ipapangalan ninyo sa sanggol na babae?Mercedes po, Father.Ah, napakagandang pangalan. At dito naman sa sanggol na lalaki?Ferrari po, Father.Ano? Mercedes at Ferrari?Opo, Father. May problema po ba?At ano naman ang gusto ninyong gamitin ko na pambinyag sa kanila? UNLEADED o DIESEL?8 HEALTHbeat I November - December 2011