In response to Making Pregnancy Safer, what are the current programs in the country to address maternal mortality and morbidity? Cite at least 1.
To address the increasing concern in the rate of maternal mortality and morbidity in the Philippines the Department of Health created various initiatives and programs. One of these is the National Safe Motherhood Program which concentrates 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 as well as to promote the health and well-being of mothers of a Filipino family.
The program component includes support to all LGUs in the country in establishing and mobilizing maternal health delivery services and care. To obtain this goal, it aim to establish the Reliable Sustainable Support Systems for Maternal-Newborn Service Delivery through several initiatives such as (A) Establishment of Safe Blood Supply Network with support from the National Voluntary Blood Program, (B) Behavior Change Interventions in collaboration with the Health Promotion and Communication Service, and (C) Sustainable financing of maternal-newborn services and commodities through locally initiated revenue generation and retention activities including PhilHealth accreditation and enrolment.
What can you suggest in order to decrease our maternal mortality and morbidity in the country? Give at least 3 suggestions.
1. Equal access to and quality of reproductive, maternal, and newborn health care services.
2. Universal health coverage for comprehensive reproductive, maternal, and newborn health care.
3. Government provision of adequate resources and effective healthcare financing.
4. Maternal health education for young women (and men) to improve their knowledge about reproduction, fertility, birth control, and the consequences of unprotected sex.
5. Empower women, girls, families, and communities through increasing awareness regarding the women’s autonomy over their own reproductive lives and health-care decisions, and eradicating gender-based violence and discrimination, such as disrespect and abuse of women using health-care services.
References:
Department of Health. (2018). National Safe Motherhood Program. https://doh.gov.ph/national-safe-motherhood-program
World Health Organization. (2019, September 19). Maternal mortality. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality#:%7E:text=To%20avoid%20maternal%20deaths%2C%20it,and%20quality%20post%2Dabortion%20care.
World Health Organization (2015, February). Strategies toward ending preventable maternal mortality (EPMM) [PDF]. WHO. https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/maternal_perinatal/epmm/en/