SILENT EMERGENCY

all deaths of children occurring before their fifth birthday,” said a press release circulated by the WHO. “Preterm survivors can face lifelong health consequences, with an increased likelihood of disability and developmental delays.”

Too often, where babies are born determines if they survive. This means that if the baby is born in industrialized countries like the United States, Australia or any country in Europe, the baby is more likely to survive than a baby born in a developing country like the Philippines.

“It is grossly unjust that a child’s chances of survival can be shaped just by their place of birth, and that there are such vast inequities in their access to lifesaving health services,” deplored Dr. Anshu Banerjee, the Director for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO.

The Born to soon “decade” report notes that only 1 in 10 extremely preterm babies (less than 28 weeks) survive in low-income countries, compared to more than 9 in 10 in high-income countries.

“Gaping inequalities related to race, ethnicity, income, and access to quality care determine the likelihood of preterm birth,

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

“Vision without execution is just hallucination.” - HENRY FORD.

********

An idiomatic phrase that means “discussing a matter without coming to the point.”

Exactly the description about how our government has been operating ever since we learned the science of democratic governance from our American colonial masters.

DILG Sec. Benhur Abalos should be commended for boldly pursuing what many Pinoys have long been subjected to when something explosive, such as the drug scandal involving P6.7 B and the missing 40 kilos of the shabu buy bust haul, occurs.

The above cited affair broke out into the open only last February - if my memory serves me right - but the drug operation was conducted in October 2022 yet.

A span of five months and the death, and disability, even in high-income countries,” the press release said.

PNP hierarchy moved as if nothing earth-shaking ever happened.

So Sec. Abalos “erupted” with executive fury and sensing a cover-up, loudly demanded that those involved be identified, suspended and tried.

Abalos somewhat went into a legit “rage” because he smelled something fishy as the main actor, a Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo, who was the head of the drug enforcement unit responsible for the drug capture, was not in jail but was allowed by his superiors to go scot-free.

To cut the story short, instead of beating around the bush as some previous government authorities have done so in many times past, the SILG came down hard and had two generals and several other PNP officers involved get suspended and on floating status.

Anyway, calling a spade a spade is what demonstrates the righteous attitude necessary to achieve effective governance and efficient public service.

The report noted that Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rates of preterm birth. As such, preterm babies in these regions face the highest mortality risk. “Together, these two regions account for more than 65% of preterm births globally,” it said.

“Progress is flatlining for maternal and newborn health, as well as the prevention of stillbirths,” deplored Dr. Helga Fogstad, executive director of PMNCH, the world’s largest alliance for women, children, and adolescents.

Gains made are now being pushed back further through the devastating combination of COVID-19, climate change, expanding conflicts and rising living costs, she warned.

Air pollution, for example, is estimated to contribute to 6 million preterm births each year. Nearly 1 in 10 preterm babies are born in the 10 most fragile countries affected by humanitarian crises, according to a new analysis in the report.Maternal health risks, such as adolescent pregnancy and pre-eclampsia, are closely linked to preterm births. This underlines the need to en- sure access to sexual and reproductive health services, including effective family planning, with high-quality care in pregnancy and around the time of birth.

Steven Lauwerier, Director of Health at UNICEF, noted that every preterm death created “a trail of loss and heartbreak.”

“Despite the many advances the world has made in the past decade, we have made no progress in reducing the number of small babies born too soon or averting the risk of their death. The toll is devastating. It’s time we improve access to care for pregnant mothers and preterm infants and ensure every child gets a healthy start and thrives in life,” Lauwerier said.

According to the report, a concerted action is needed to swiftly improve children’s health and survival.

“By working together in partnership – governments, donors, the private sector, civil society, parents, and health professionals – we can sound the alarm about this ‘silent emergency,’ and bring preterm prevention and care efforts to the forefront of national health and development efforts, building human capital by supporting families, societies and economies everywhere,” Dr. Fogstad said.

Beating Around The Bush

From all indications, after ex-PRRD exited Malacanang, drug lords, traffickers and operators have activated their network with such trepidity.

Happy days are here again!

Are you not surprised (or scared) that frequent drug buy busts and capture of huge amounts of shabu are (for the nth time) reported in the media.

These are the same syndicates that were silenced by Digong’s six years of intensified war against illegal drugs but who are - again - reinvigorated because the PNP, the PDEA and other collaborating government agencies are waiting for direct orders from “above.” whether to sustain the previous illegal drugs war or take a low profile.

Shootings and murders caught in videos, ambushes and other criminal acts are occuring in such frequency that citizens don’t feel safe walking in the streets anymore.

There is a great need for po- lice visibility.

Foot and bike patrols which, citizens agree, help deter bad elements from committing brazen acts of criminality.

It is bad that in our Pinoy culture, we tend to protect our ilk because we have the same blood flowing in our veins, even if this protective act is condemnably violative of the law.

A cover-up is an example of beating around the bush until that cover is blown.

LOL.

You can count them by the fingers because indeed there are only a few selected men who will preserve the law and enforce it against anyone who is found violating it regardless of their blood relations.

Indeed, what a boys club we have.

Perhaps we can make a sweeping statement that this this “boys club” mindset exists in many government agencies today.

Everybody seems to say: “Konek-konek lang yan.”

Don’t we have a pitiful bureaucracy if this “konek-konek mentality is the prevailing attitude in public service?

So, the thing to do is emulate SILG Abalos who stopped beating around the bush.

Immediately after warming his DILG seat, he ordered that all PNP senior officers from colonels to generals submit their respective courtesy resignations in an honest effort to purge the ranks of police scalawags, ninja cops and those who smelled with odorous connections with the underworld.

In one fell swoop, Abalos was able to achieve what others before him failed to achieve in the many years they were in the same office.

Because Abalos stopped beating around the bush, that’s why. (Email feedback to fredlumba@ yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!