HEALTH CONNECT FORUM CALLS FOR URGENT, HOLISTIC ACTION TO SAFEGUARD MOTHERS AND NEWBORNS

Health experts and local health officials from Davao del Norte and Makati City, along with an advocate from an online mom community, gathered at the Health Connect Media Forum to advocate for stronger maternal health programs and policies that promote healthier pregnancies and safer births through collaborative public and private initiatives.

The event, titled “Pag Healthy si Mommy, Protektado si Baby!”, was organized by the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), and the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV). It aligns with the Department of Health’s (DOH) Safe Motherhood Program and the WHO’s Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to reduce global maternal mortality to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030^[1].

Health Connect Forum, hosted by Dr. Eric Tayag, former DOH Undersecretary and past PFV President, featured health luminaries from Davao del Norte, Makati City, PFV, and a representative from an online mom community.

In the opening of the forum, Teodoro Padilla, Executive Director of PHAP, stressed the urgent need for collaboration across multiple sectors to protect mothers and babies from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), leading to enhanced maternal and neonatal health outcomes. “When we invest in maternal health, we invest in the potential of future generations,” he said.

Despite progress, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported 1,868 maternal deaths and over 21,000 infant deaths^[2], highlighting persistent challenges that could be prevented with access to quality prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum care.

“Expectant mothers experience immune changes that increase their risk of severe flu and other respiratory infections,” said Dr. Martha Millar-Aquino, President of the Philippine Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology (PIDSOG). She stressed the importance of Tdap and flu vaccines during pregnancy, which help mothers develop antibodies passed to their babies, protecting infants during their first months.

To address these urgent gaps, proposed legislation such as Senate Bill No. 1416, or ‘An Act Safeguarding the Health of Filipino Mothers at the Time of Their Childbirth,’ was filed in 2022 and is currently being deliberated for approval in Congress.

At the local level, Dr. Josephine Parreñas, Provincial Health Officer I of Davao del Norte, noted consistent progress in reducing maternal deaths. The province's maternal mortality ratio dropped from 70.1 per 100,000 live births in 2020 to 58.3 in 2022. This improvement stems from Quarterly Maternal Death Reviews that identify healthcare gaps, the Provincial Buntis Congress offering health education and services, and a strong referral system linking barangay health stations to hospitals, supported by ongoing capacity-building for health workers.

In Makati City, Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Johanne Florence C. Legaspi highlighted comprehensive maternal care through the Makati Health Plus and Baby Makatizen programs, offering free micronutrients, lab tests, ancillary procedures, and hospitalization. A referral system with Makati Medical Center and local production of Tdap and flu vaccines ensure seamless care. Dr. Legaspi added, “We promise to continue investing, expanding access, improving service delivery, and fostering private-sector collaboration in support of our shared vision with the Department of Health.”

In support of strengthening maternal care systems, Dr. Eric Tayag, former DOH Undersecretary, past PFV President, and forum moderator, emphasized the importance of routinely including vaccination in patient charts. “It’s not just the vital signs, chief complaint, and findings we should record, but also vaccination-related concerns—like missed doses, hesitancy, and what actions healthcare professionals can take so that they can be provided access when vaccines are available," he said.

Reactors also offered valuable perspectives. Dr. Lulu Bravo, Executive Director of the PFV, underscored the cost-effectiveness and life-saving power of vaccination. “Vaccination is the most effective tools we have to protect health at every stage of life, especially during pregnancy,” she said.

Representing mothers, Erika Jane Viray, founder of Moms Support Moms PH, an online community, highlighted the power of peer support. “When a fellow mom shares her experience—about vaccination during pregnancy or routine immunizations—it resonates. We uplift each other, share real stories, and promote credible information,” she said.

The forum closed with a unified call for stronger maternal health policies, wider access to life-saving vaccines, quality prenatal and postpartum care, and deeper collaboration among government, the private sector, and medical organizations to protect mothers and newborns.

The webinar was livestreamed on the Facebook pages of PHAP, PMA, and PFV.