The Department of Health released recently an administrative order mandating the application of a new protocol on delivering babies that could bring a sharp decrease in the childhood death rate in the country. Young babies die in the Philippines at an estimated rate of 40,000 annually. Based on the guidelines formulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the DoH, the Essential Newborn Care (ENC) is set to revolutionize the delivery practices in the country by applying delayed (umbilical) cord clamping, initiating skin-to-skin contact with the mother and early introduction to breastfeeding.

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