First family planning mobile clinic unveiled

BINANGONAN, Rizal — The country’s first family planning mobile clinic was unveiled Wednesday in Binangonan, Rizal.

DKT Philippines Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization promoting family planning and human immune-deficiency virus prevention, launched the Service Outreach and Distribution Extension Program (SODEX).

SODEX aims to provide safe and accessible modern family planning methods for Filipinos in far-flung areas to bridge the gap between Filipinos wanting to space and limit pregnancy and the disparities in family planning services.

Department of Health (DoH) Undersecretary Glenn Baggao said he believes the “very equipped” SODEX will help a lot of people.

“Since family planning is one of the programs of our department, the provision of this kind of facility will help our department in the implementation of the family planning program,” Baggao told reporters.

“This will give access to people who cannot go to facilities. Malaking tulong po ito sa kanila (This will be a very big help to them),” he added.

The DoH will be assisting the clinic technically and will be supporting the implementation of the family planning program, he said.

Baggao also underscored the importance of family planning against sexually transmitted infections and diseases, as well as helping couples plan the desired number of their children.

“Iniiwasan din natin ang pagtaas ng maternal mortality, infant mortality. We are doing this for the safety of our mothers, mga anak natin (We are also avoiding an increase in maternal mortality, and infant mortality. We are doing this for the safety of our mothers, our children),” he said.