May 16, 2014
Rotary Club of Multinational Manila (RIMM) has supported distribution of three month injectable contraceptives for needy women whenever such requests are made. These are the same injectables occasionally stocked by local health centers if government funds are available and purchased by women that can afford them as service costs are added. Only daily contraceptive pills are provided free at local barangay health centers when available.
In an effort to make the three month injectable contraceptives available to even indigent women RIMM is providing them at or below wholesale cost to dedicated midwives who keep records and perform the injection without added service charges. This reduces their cost to about a bottle of beer consumed per month in a local pub. Such a successful, largely self-sustaining, coordinated program was started in April in a resettlement site in Dasmarinas, Cavite where the population is accelerating at a very high rate among the very poor. The residents used to be street families in Manila moved to areas designated by the government as (still overcrowded) resettlement sites. A welfare organization called “Home for The 100th Sheep” dedicatedly provides basic preschool education and development, livelihood and other basic needs such as food and shelter. This organization coordinates with the midwives in the area and they succeeded in distributing 62 (targeting 100 by the end of June) injectables at cost. 15% of injectables are provided free of charge to the most indigent.
Providing additional supplies of injectables
Midwife returning the cost from the sales of the injectables to Rotary
