CNN Hero Lim inspiration on health work

CNN Hero of the Year Robin Lim, a Filipino-American midwife who helps underprivileged women have healthy pregnancies and births in Indonesia, has earned the praise of Smart Communications Inc.

Lim is the second CNN Hero of the Year who is of Filipino descent. The 54-year-old Lim was born to an American soldier and a Filipino mother. In 2009, another Filipino – Efren Peñaflorida – became CNN Hero of the Year for his kariton classroom project that aims to educate street children.

“We are inspired by her example to continue pursuing our ongoing deployment of wireless technologies in aid of health care initiatives that improve the delivery of maternal care,” said Orlando B. Vea, Smart chief wireless advisor.

Last July, Smart and the Department of Health (DOH) launched Shine (Secured Health Information Network and Exchange), an electronic medical records and electronic inter-facility health referral system in Iloilo City.

The system is designed to help midwives in Iloilo’s rural health units, where Shine is being piloted, to keep track of their pregnant patients, monitor their progress, remind them of follow-up consultations and medication, enable their speedy referral to doctors or nearby hospitals if needed, and more quickly comply with maternal health reportorial requirements of the DOH.

The project is under the telecommunication company’s Kabalikat sa Kalusugan program.

In Indonesia, expectant women are fortunate to have Lim, who decided to become a midwife after her younger sister died from pregnancy complications.

Lim, who is fondly called “Ibu Robin” (Mother Robin), has been running her free clinics Yayasan Bumi Sehat (Healthy Mother Earth) in Bali and Aceh with Indonesian midwives since 2003.

The clinic provides free prenatal and birthing services for poor Indonesian women. Lim also provides training for young midwives.