Rationale:

The Philippines’ maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates have been marked despite its efforts to assist local government units for the past decade. An important factor identified was the lack of trained healthcare providers particularly, in the far flung areas of the country. This hinders the recognition of basic obstetric needs and delivery of quality health service to the community.

To intensify the country’s capacity in the provision of quality health service to the people, the Department of Health (DOH) has adopted the facility-based basic emergency obstetric care strategy. The midwives, being the frontline healthcare providers, have been identified by the DOH to serve as the link between health service delivery and the community in the reduction of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

The RHMPP aims to provide competent midwives to areas that have not performed well in terms of facility-based deliveries, fully immunized child and contraceptive prevalence rates, hence, improve facility-based health services. By augmenting health staff to selected government units, the DOH may improve maternal and child health and attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In order to ensure a constant supply of competent midwives and to deliver their services to the people in dire need, the DOH created the MSPP that aims to produce competent midwives from qualified residents of priority areas.

Program Description:

The World Health Organization (WHO) affirms that approximately 15% of all pregnant women develop a potentially life-threatening complication that calls for either skilled care or major obstetrical interventions to survive. Readily accessible Emergency Obstetric Care may thus reduce maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

The DOH is restating its commitment towards a health nation through more aggressive safe motherhood initiatives, hence, the upgrading of obstetric deliveries to strategic facility-based Basic Emergency Obstetric Care (BEmONC), where these facilities are manned by a team composed of a licensed physician, public health nurse, and a rural health midwife at the primary level.

Since the rural health midwives are considered as the frontline health workers in the rural areas and have progressed to become multi-task personnel in the delivery of healthcare services, amidst migration of other healthcare professionals, the DOH created the Rural Health Midwife Placement Program (RHMPP) to address the inequitable distribution of midwives and equip them for facility-based BEmONC practice. In support to the RHMPP, thus, ensure constant supply of competent midwives, the DOH created the Midwifery Scholarship Program of the Philippines (MSPP).

Career Track/ Return Service Obligation

Upon completion of the MSPP and obtaining the midwife’s Certificate of Registration and license, the scholars shall render two (2) years of service to the DOH for every year of scholarship granted as form of return service.

Expected Output:

The MSPP aims to produce and ensure constant supply of competent midwives who are ready to serve the DOH identified priority areas of the country.

The RHMPP addresses the inequitable distribution of midwives and equip them for facility-based BEmONC practice. Likewise, it provides competent midwives to areas that have not performed well in terms of facility-based deliveries, fully immunized child and contraceptive prevalence rates, hence, improve facility-based health services. The DOH ultimately aims in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Program Status:

For the MSPP, a hundred scholars are currently pursuing the Midwifery Course. On April of this year, 11 scholars graduated and passed the Board Examination by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). These scholars were deployed to DOH identified priority areas starting July 2011. This coming November, 37 other scholars will take the Board Examination.

For the RHMPP, 23 Registered Midwives were already deployed for the first batch (2008-2010). In addition to that, 175 Registered Midwives (batch 2, 2010-2012) and 11 scholars (batch 3, 2011-2013) are currently being deployed in the DOH (BEmONC/CCT) identified priority areas.

Partner Schools:

Currently, the MSPP has four partner schools:

The RHMPP has deployed midwives in the different DOH identified priority areas of the country:

III. Career Track / Return Service Obligation

Upon completion of the MSPP and obtaining the midwife’s Certificate of Registration and license, the scholars shall render two (2) years of service to the DOH for every year of scholarship granted as form of return service.

IV. Expected Output

The MSPP aims to produce and ensure constant supply of competent midwives who are ready to serve the DOH identified priority areas of the country.

The RHMPP addresses the inequitable distribution of midwives and equip them for facility-based BEmONC practice. Likewise, it provides competent midwives to areas that haver not performed well in terms of facility based deliveries, fully immunized child and contraceptive prevalence rates, improve facility-based health services. The DOH ultimately aims in the attainment of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

V. Program Status:

A. MSPP

• 11 scholars graduated on April 2011 and passed the Board Examination by the Professional Regulation Commission will be deployed starting July 2011 to DOH identified priority areas.
• 37 scholars will take the November 2011 Board Examination by the Professional Regulation Commission
• 100 scholars pursuing the Midwifery Course

B. RHMPP

• 175 Registered Midwives are currently deployed in the DOH (BEmONC/CCT) identified priority areas
• Deployment of 11 scholars

Program Manager:

Dr. Josephine H. Hipolito /  Ms. Winselle Joy C. Manalo

Program Coordinators

Department of Health-Health Human Resource Development Bureau (DOH-HHRDB)

Contact Number: 651-78-00 local 4204/4227

Email: [email protected]