1. In response to Making Pregnancy Safer, what are the current programs in the country to address maternal mortality and morbidity? Cite at least 1.
Upon exploring the list of health programs available on the Department of Health’s website, I found three programs dedicated to ensuring that women experience safe pregnancies while addressing the issue of maternal mortality and morbidity.
National Safe Motherhood Program (DOH, 2018)
The Safe Motherhood Program is dedicated to providing Filipino women with full access to health services to make their pregnancy and delivery safer. The program fulfills this goal by collaborating with local government units in ensuring the delivery of quality maternal and newborn health services using a sustainable and cost-effective approach. This then enables disadvantaged women to receive high-quality health services and to safely give birth in health facilities near their homes. Along with the program, Safe Motherhood Week is celebrated at the regional level every 2nd week of May.
National Family Planning Program (DOH, 2021)
With maternal mortality, unplanned pregnancies, and unsafe abortions as some of the effects of poor family planning, the National Family Planning Program ensures that every Filipino has access to “correct information, medically safe, legal, non-abortifacient, effective and culturally acceptable modern family planning (FP) methods.” Included in the program are family planning competency-based training, provision of a PhilHealth Benefit Package based on the chosen FP method, as well as the implementation of DOH clinical guidelines on family planning. Along with the program, National Family Planning Month is celebrated in the month of August in the Philippines.
Rural Health Midwives Placement Program (RHMPP) / Midwifery Scholarship Program of the Philippines (MSPP) (DOH, 2011)
They have identified that an important factor contributing to the maternal mortality and morbidity rates in the Philippines is the lack of trained healthcare providers particularly, in far-flung areas. This then led to the implementation of the Rural Health Midwives Placement Program where they recognize the important role of midwives in serving as the link between quality health service delivery and the community, therefore, reducing the rates of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The program provides competent midwives to selected government units that have not performed well in terms of facility-based deliveries with the help of the MSPP to ensure that there is a constant supply of competent midwives in these priority areas.
2. What can you suggest in order to decrease our maternal mortality and morbidity in the country? Give at least 3 suggestions.
I firmly believe that getting the correct information and advice about what to do before, during, and after pregnancy can help prevent complications from arising, therefore, reducing maternal mortality and morbidity. However, we already have health programs with these goals as part of their vision and mission, so, how come we still have a long way to go before reaching the SDG target of less than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births? To answer this, I think that much like the rationale of the RHMPP, we need actions that will help the concerned/involved individuals become aware of the health programs already set by the country. If given the chance, I would suggest the following:
There should be a fair allocation of budget to the healthcare sector, especially in far-flung areas that are not given much attention. I believe this will not only help reduce maternal mortality and morbidity but also help address the other health concerns of the residents near the local government health units that particularly need the resources in order to provide quality health services to their clients. Having enough budget for these health units ensures that prospective mothers can avail their services, go for their monthly or weekly check-ups, and receive needed vitamins and supplements for free or for only a very minimal fee. As a result, the proper healthcare providers can make sure that the mother’s pregnancy is safe and has a low risk for complications. As Sr. Health Financing Specialist Helene Barroy (2017) explains it, the way budgets are “formulated, allocated, and used for health is at the core of the Universal Health Care (UHC) agenda.”
Focus on preconception care and education as well. Often, we hear about prenatal or antenatal care, delivery care, and postpartum care. They are certainly important in the care of a prospective mother, but I’d also like to shed some light on proper care and education before a woman’s pregnancy. It’s important for a woman to fully understand that when she becomes pregnant, she is not only living for herself but also for the baby that is developing inside her body. Whether a female wants to plan her pregnancy or if she has an unplanned pregnancy, it’s important that she is already somehow aware of what she needs or what she can do before carrying a baby. In its essence, preconception care aims to educate women (and if possible, their partners) about the potential benefits and harms in their everyday environment and to teach them how lifestyle modifications can have a significant positive impact on their health outcomes as well as their children’s (Genuis & Genuis, 2016).
Efficient information dissemination should be the link between these programs and the delivery of quality maternal healthcare. Again, our efforts of creating programs and action plans for ensuring the safe pregnancy of women in the country would be rendered useless if the target population itself is not aware of these programs. It would be helpful to set up ads showing and explaining the different health programs that our country has to offer through television, the radio, in the newspaper, posters, and even on various social media pages to reach as many people as possible. The National Health and Medical Research Council (2019) emphasized that well-designed dissemination strategies should consider the target audience, the message to be delivered, and the communication strategies to help get the message across in order to improve health outcomes.
References
Barroy, H. (2017, June 8). BUDGETING FOR HEALTH: WHAT? WHY? HOW? World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/health_financing/topics/public-financial-management/budgeting-health.pdf
Department of Health (DOH). (2011). RURAL HEALTH MIDWIVES PLACEMENT PROGRAM (RHMPP) / MIDWIFERY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM OF THE PHILIPPINES (MSPP). https://doh.gov.ph/rural-health-midwives-placement-program
Department of Health (DOH). (2018, October 17). NATIONAL SAFE MOTHERHOOD PROGRAM. https://doh.gov.ph/national-safe-motherhood-program
Department of Health (DOH). (2021). FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM. https://doh.gov.ph/health-programs/family-planning-program
Genuis, S.J., & Genuis, R.A. (2016). Preconception Care: A New Standard of Care within Maternal Health Services. BioMed Research International, 2016, 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/6150976
National Health and Medical Research Council. (2019, September 6). Guidelines for Guidelines: Dissemination and communication. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelinesforguidelines/implement/dissemination-and-communication