Metropolitan Teofan inaugurated on Monday, at the „Elena Doamna” Maternity in the city of Iași, St Emilia Ward, dedicated to mothers who chose to give birth naturally.
The location was renovated and refurbished by the Archdiocese of Iași through its Pro-Vita (Pro-Life) Department. The investment amounted to 18,000 Euros, according to Doxologia.ro. The Chairman of Iași County Council participated to the inauguration ceremony along with medical staff.
Dr. Gabriel Martinescu, the maternity manager, and priests Florin Gherasă and Cosmin Brânză from Pro Vita Iași, directly involved in the project, were awarded the metropolitan distinction “Holy Hierarch Dosoftei”.
The patron saint of the ward is St Emilia, the mother of St Basil the Great. The ward consists of a room with two electric medical beds, two baby cradles, bathroom, locker room and a room for fathers.
Making “St Emilia” Ward operational had two main goals: transforming an administrative space into a baby-friendly area for post-partum medical care; and encouraging mothers to give birth naturally if their health allows it, by offering them EU-standard accomodation.
Patients shall be accomodated for free at the “St Emilia” Ward on a first-come, first-served basis, provided they ask this to the medical staff.
The project is innovative through the fact that it provides for the fathers who wish to stand by their families. Their space can be used for waiting, prayer, relaxation, for helping the mother and the child and for fatherhood trainings.
