There is no mystery behind the high incidence of death among women while giving birth. They are dying because they have limited access to health care or none at all. The main causes of death is the poor delivery of health services and the deterioration quality of care for the poor. The quality of the entire health system must be improved in order to improve the maternal mortality rate.
High rates of maternal deaths occur in the same developing countries that have high rates of infant mortality and this reflects on poor nutrition and medical care. Often, there is lack of access to skilled medical care during childbirth. In the Philippine rural areas, there are few health clinics which makes it costly for poor families to go to. Should they have one nearby where they live, these clinics are unable to provide decent maternal care because of lack of trained qualified staff and lack of equipment.
Filipino mothers mortality rate had increased to 221 per 100,000 live births in 2011 from 162 per 100,000 live births in 2009. Under the Millennium Development Goals (global set of targets for reducing poverty), Philippines must work towards reduction of maternal mortality rate to 52 per 100,000 live births.
Maternal death is highly preventable if the women have access to sufficient reproductive health care services. Through effective family planning services, antenatal care, and access to health facilities most maternal deaths can be prevented. Philippines’ top obstetrics gynecologists under the leadership of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS) hopes to address this concern by shifting the focus of Health Care for women from treatment to prevention. POGS believe that by standardizing health care prevention methods for women in the most cost effective way, we can make the difference between life and death.
POGS believes that by improving maternal healthcare, we will be able to attain 360 Degrees of Protection. Healthy mothers give birth to healthy children. Vaccines for most diseases are available. Availing of such can save lives.
Our local governments should take a strategic approach to the safe motherhood challenge by creating a supportive environment for maternal and newborn health. It should strive hard to ensure that every baby's birth is attended by trained midwives or skilled health personnel as all women need better health care during pregnancy, at delivery and in the post-partum period. The Philippine government must be able to pass a Reproductive Health Bill and be able to consolidate all local health systems.
The road to attaining our Millennium Development Goals seems overwhelming, but some systems are now in place. Six billion has been allocated by the government to repair government clinics and hospital nationwide.
Maternal death is highly preventable if the women have access to sufficient reproductive health care services. Through effective family planning services, antenatal care, and access to health facilities most maternal deaths can be prevented. Philippines’ top obstetrics gynecologists under the leadership of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS) hopes to address this concern by shifting the focus of Health Care for women from treatment to prevention. POGS believe that by standardizing health care prevention methods for women in the most cost effective way, we can make the difference between life and death.
POGS believes that by improving maternal healthcare, we will be able to attain 360 Degrees of Protection. Healthy mothers give birth to healthy children. Vaccines for most diseases are available. Availing of such can save lives.
Our local governments should take a strategic approach to the safe motherhood challenge by creating a supportive environment for maternal and newborn health. It should strive hard to ensure that every baby's birth is attended by trained midwives or skilled health personnel as all women need better health care during pregnancy, at delivery and in the post-partum period. The Philippine government must be able to pass a Reproductive Health Bill and be able to consolidate all local health systems.
The road to attaining our Millennium Development Goals seems overwhelming, but some systems are now in place. Six billion has been allocated by the government to repair government clinics and hospital nationwide.
This is such a great advocacy especially for the ever increasing rate of teen pregnancies in our country which is usually the target of maternal death.
ReplyDeleteIt really is so sad that a lot of women suffer from poor health because they don't have access to facilities and health care services. So, it's good to know that this is now being addressed by POGS.
ReplyDeleteThis is very good! When I was pregnant with our first child, my husband and I were thinking of giving birth in a public hospital. Then news about babies (and moms) dying in these hospitals became a daily highlight in the news so we opted to go to a private hospital instead. We really need to improve maternal healthcare in the country. Kawawa naman ang mga mommies na hindi kaya iafford ang services ng private hospitals kaya sana mabigyan sila ng maayos na pag-aalaga sa public hospitals.
ReplyDeleteIt is a sad reality that the quality of care given by most government hospitals is downgrading. I do hope that time will come when level with be at par with those private hospitals.
DeleteTrue prevention is better than treatment. I am glad there is an organization who looks after women's welfare.
ReplyDeleteOur government should pay more attention to hospitals and health clinics.
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