Utilization of Mothers for some Aspects of Primary Health Care in Philippine Barangays (Villages)

Abstract

The ultimate goal of the Mother Health Worker project, located less than 100 km northwest of Manila, is to improve the general level of health and children in the adjacent villages of Barrio San Roque and Barrio Santo Nino by developing a low cost and self-reliant health care system which has the following objectives: tap and mobilize the indigenous personnel resources in the 2 communities who will function as the backbone of the health care system with selected mothers acting as 1st contact care providers at a ratio of 1 mother health worker (MHW) for every 10-15 households; create a 2-way referral system from the home and/or school to the barangay health center (operated by the rural midwife) to the rural health unit (operated by the rural health physician); and assist the community members in the identification and priority of community health problems and in finding ways to solve these problems. The project's basic strategy is to train selected community interested mothers as MHWs who will promote simple but essential health services in the 2 communities under the supervision of the project midwife and occasionally by the rural health unit midwife. The 3 phases of the project are: regional and community preparation, scheduled for the 1st 3 months; in service training of mothers as MHWs; and operation of a village drug store. Of the 39 mothers trained, there are now 37 MHWs continuing. The following are ongoing activities of the MHWs: immunizations; maternal and child care during and after deliveries; family planning education; treatment of common illnesses in the community; and deworming and nutrition activities. The MHWs have effectively served as campaigners for immunization, nutrition, and family planning activities and were readily accepted by the community to provide simple and immediate management of common children's ailments. They can be relied upon to participate actively in the continuous and permanent health care delivery in remote rural localities and make use of available indigenous materials. A reversible referral network was established complimented by a village pharmacy, which can dispense herbal and synthetic medications.