‘We’re not here to compete, we want to work together with others’ — AGGMC on bringing maternal care closer to Pinukpuk communities

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – After a decade-long effort to establish a clinic in Pinukpuk, Abundant Grace of God Maternity Clinic (AGGMC) Director Georgia Macad emphasized that the facility is intended to complement, rather than compete with, government health services.

“We don’t want to compete; we want to work together in partnership,” Macad said during the formal opening of the AGGMC extension clinic in Cullayanan, Junction Pinukpuk, on September 19.

Macad said AGGMC intends to work closely with rural health units (RHUs), government facilities, hospitals and other healthcare providers to help ensure better health outcomes for pregnant women, mothers and children in Kalinga.

“I want to emphasize that this clinic will not be a competition with the RHU or the hospital or the government, because we want to see it as a partnership. We need each other. We need the local government unit, we need the hospitals, we need the doctors, we need the RHU midwives. We all need to work together for the best outcome for moms and babies here in Pinukpuk,” she said.

A decade-long prayer

According to Macad, the Pinukpuk extension was the result of a decade-long prayer and an idea first raised during a staff meeting.

The idea came after AGGMC observed that many pregnant women and mothers from Pinukpuk and nearby communities were traveling to its main clinic in Magsaysay, Tabuk City, to seek maternity services.

“The reason why we chose Pinukpuk is that we’ve noticed in the last 10 years that so many women coming from this area are travelling a long, long way to come to our clinic in Magsaysay. We were so thankful and moved that they would come to receive our care,” she said.

With the support of her staff, husband and other individuals who have helped AGGMC since its establishment in 2007, Macad said women and families in Pinukpuk and nearby communities can now access maternity services closer to home.

Macad added that AGGMC’s mission is to share God’s love through maternity care with women, mothers and families in Kalinga.