Pregnant repatriates receive little medical attention, says OFW

Pregnant women who are stuck under quarantine while awaiting their coronavirus test results receive little medical attention, a repatriate said Monday.

In a 24 Oras report by Athena Imperial on Monday, Marisa Bergonia said she and her fellow pregnant repatriates were only checked once by nurses.

“Isang beses po, na-check up po kami ng midwife lahat. Noong second na po noon na check-up, mayroong pumuntang midwife dito at si Katherine lang po saka ‘yung kasama niya sa kuwarto ang na-check up that day,” she said.

“Nag-so-sorry siya kasi hindi niya kami mache-check up kasi ang pinunta lang po talaga nila ‘yung emergency,” Bergonia added.

Katherine Bartolome said she has already tested negative for COVID-19 but her name is still not on the list of people who can claim their quarantine clearance.

Other fellow pregnant women in her quarantine facility have yet to receive their results.

“Mayroon tayong mga roving nurses at midwives, tinitingnan sila. May mga bagong silang… pinapalagi muna namin at least ng isang buwan unless i-clear sila ng doktor. So nando’n lang sila sa OWWA, ‘yung mga bagong panganak,” OWWA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said.

The pregnant repatriates have appealed for prioritization in the processing of test results.

“Kasi mga buntis nga po kami. Mas maaalagaan kami ng family namin kung makauwi na po sana kami,” Bergonia said. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News