In response to Making Pregnancy Safer, what are the current programs in the country to address maternal mortality and morbidity? Cite at least 1.
The National Safe Motherhood Program primarily focuses on the health and welfare of women throughout their pregnancy. This program aims to provide Filipino women access to quality healthcare for a safer pregnancy and delivery by:
- Collaborating with Local Government Units in establishing sustainable, cost-effective approach of delivering health services that ensure access of disadvantaged women to acceptable and high quality maternal and newborn health services and enable them to safely give birth in health facilities near their homes.
- Establishing core knowledge base and support systems that facilitate the delivery of quality maternal and newborn health services in the country.
What can you suggest in order to decrease our maternal mortality and morbidity in the country? Give at least 3 suggestions.
- Providing comprehensive maternal education. This would equip women of reproductive age, mothers, and families the knowledge regarding the crucial stages of pregnancy, nutritional requirements, toxicant avoidance, supplement use, and other lifestyle interventions that would directly impact their attitudes towards prenatal care. In addition to this, family planning and other contraceptive methods should be emphasized in order to reduce unwanted pregnancies which could possibly result to unsafe abortions. When women are equipped with the necessary knowledge, they would be able to make informed and sound decisions which can ultimately lead to positive pregnancy outcomes.
- Ensuring accessibility of free and quality healthcare service for all. Paredes (2016) stated that maternal and child health services in our country still remain to be pro-rich as the poor are still disadvantaged in terms of accessing and affording complete antenatal care, facility-based deliveries, and caesarean deliveries. Building health centers in the locality especially in far-flung and geographically isolated areas would help in making these services accessible. Furthermore, these local health centers must be fully equipped of the necessary resources and manpower in order to ensure the quality of the care given. Removing barriers to health would positively impact the health of the mother and child.
- Empowering healthcare professionals. Continuous education, training, and upskilling of healthcare workers are vital to ensure that up-to-date and quality services are provided. When healthcare workers are prepared in addressing maternal emergencies and are able to detect warning signs early on, rate of maternal mortality is significantly reduced.
References:
DOH (n.d.). Safe Motherhood Program. doh.gov.ph. Retrieved March 14, 2022 from https://doh.gov.ph/health-programs/safe-motherhood-program
DOH (2018). National Safe Motherhood Program. doh.gov.ph. Retrieved March 14, 2022 from https://doh.gov.ph/national-safe-motherhood-program
Paredes, K.P.P. Inequality in the use of maternal and child health services in the Philippines: do pro-poor health policies result in more equitable use of services?. Int J Equity Health 15, 181 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-016-0473-y