Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the Philippines

COUNTRY BACKGROUND:

Total population (2012):
96,707,000

Probability of dying under five years, per 1,000 live births (2012): 30

Maternal Mortality Ratio, per 100,000 live births (2011):
99

For further information on our other programs in the Philippines, please click here.

Typhoon Haiyan: Three-month report

Typhoon Haiyan: Red Cross Response

In the first days following Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (November 2013), the World Health Organization and the Red Cross in country reported the following:

  • Need for essential health services, including mental health, reproductive health, psychosocial support, health promotion and immunization.
  • 90,000 pregnant women affected by the disaster, 8,000 births expected (within the 1st month).
  • Increased public health risks (malnutrition, vector and water borne diseases).
  • Need to re-establish early warning disease surveillance.
  • Infrastructural damage to health facilities.

Response

The Canadian Red Cross, in partnership with our Red Cross colleagues from around the globe, supported the Philippine Red Cross in its emergency operations. A basic health care unit was deployed along with surgical services to support the district hospital in Ormoc, located on the island of Leyte, which had suffered significant structural damages.

Activities, supported by the generous contributions of Canadians, included a Red Cross field hospital, along with staff, which operated at full capacity on the heavily damaged island of Leyte, ensuring that essential health needs of more than 100,000 people were met. Services included included surgical, pharmacy, maternity, pediatric services and psychosocial support.

In its first week of operation, our medical team delivered more than 60 babies, performed 24 life-saving surgeries, and the children's ward was at full capacity. The field hospital was handed over to the Philippine Red Cross to provide basic health care to a community of 30,000 people in the event of a future emergency.

Recovery

Three months later, the focus shifted from emergency relief to providing longer-term support for recovery. Humanitarian efforts continue to provide relief and recovery for the 16 million affected by the disaster. The Red Cross has assisted in many areas such as providing emergency medical care, distributing 5.5 million litres of clean water and providing materials and support for the rebuilding of homes and shelters.

As emergency response transitioned into early recovery, the Ormoc hospital was repaired and the emergency field hospital gradually ceased to deliver services. Two important factors were considered as part of this process:

  1. Using emergency response as a platform for strengthening and scaling up pre-existinghealth services.
  2. Integrating prevention and preparedness into community recovery and longer term MNCH programming.

With the generous support of Canadians, in addition to other activities, the Canadian Red Cross is now assisting the Philippine Red Cross to maintain and manage its own emergency field hospital in order to assist the local health system in future disasters, and also in helping address the health needs of women and children affected by disasters in the future.

The Canadian Red Cross will continue to support the Philippine Red Cross and affected communities as they work to recover from this disaster. Your donations, fundraising campaigns and initiatives make a world of difference to the impacted communities in the Philippines.
 

The financial support of Canadians for MNCH programming is critical. Help us save lives today