The Research and Development Center for Maternal and Child’s Health or ReDMatCH was formally opened inaugurated on Thursday at the Davao Medical School Foundation here in Davao City.
With a P75-million grant sourced from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Science for Change Program, the ReDMatCH is one of the 26 NICER (Niche Centers in the Regions for Research and Development) in the country.
It is the first and the only research center focused on maternal and child’s health and it has three component projects namely; childhood stunting, pediatric dengue and postpartum depression.
“The ReDMatCH was really conceptualized because of the noted disparity or inequality of healthcare delivery to Mindanao and especially among women and children,” says Dr. Genevieve Tupas Director DMSF Research and Publication Office and program leader of ReDMatCH.
Tupas said the three component projects are major health problems that women and children faced.
“What we are trying to do is to try to understand these problems better to and when we get to understand the factors that contribute to the problem then we will be able to offer better solutions in the future,” Tupas said.
The first phase of this project aims to seek knowledge and better understanding of the problems according to Tupas.
The funding will include equipment used for the studies and to the operations for the study.
For DMSF president Atty. Alberto Rafael Aportadera the ReDMatCH project is the beginning in their goal of establishing similar permanent facilities in the school.
“We look forward that this will be the center for research and development here in Mindanao and we have just started,” Aportadera said. (PIA/RG Alama)
