THE Southern Island Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association (SIHSNAA) has been holding medical clinics for women and children aimed at addressing responsible parenthood and family planning.

The endeavor of St. Gianna B. Molla Women and Childrens Wellness Clinic was made possible through the efforts of officers of the association.

Our aim really was to help mothers with responsible parenthood because we cannot butthead the RH (Reproductive Health) Bill alone. Its too complicated for a small group. So we will start with responsible parenthood with an aim to teach the mothers church-inspired family planning, SIHSNAA vice president Lydia Pacaa-Baccaya said.

The associations effort was inspired by the life of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, an Italian pediatrician, wife and a mother who was best known for refusing both abortion and hysterectomy when she was pregnant with her fourth child. She decided to continue with her pregnancy even if it could result in her death. She died after three months of giving birth to her child. She was canonized as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church in 2004.

Aside from teaching family planning, the clinic also offers several other services, like marital and parental counseling, Christian values education, health education, recycling, as well as medical consultations for Cebuanos who want to avail themselves of their services.

The board members are of different expertise. We have a nutritionist, a psychiatrist, a nurse and others. So we thought of giving each of our specialties, said Baccaya.

The clinic will also provide free medicines and vitamins for children and for mothers of all ages.

The clinic, which was inaugurated last May 17, will continue to operate until funds and donations may permit.

It is open to men, women and children of all ages every Saturday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Southern Island Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association Building on Osmea Blvd., Cebu City. (Alyza Burdeos, Silliman University Mass Comm Intern)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 29, 2014.

Excerpt from:
Group launches free clinic program for women, children