Improving local data to deliver high quality maternal and child health and family planning services to the poor in the Philippines

DOI: 10.5176/2251-3833_GHC13.65

Authors: Alejandro N. Herrin, Noemi C. Bautista, Leslie DP Escalada, Anna Maria Teresa S. de Guzman

Abstract:
Locally-generated data facilitates strategic provision of high level FP and MCH services to its constituents. However, generation of such data remains to be a complex undertaking at the local level owing to both financial and technical capacity constraints. The USAID-assisted HealthGov Project, in collaboration with its regional and local counterparts, has facilitated innovations to improve existing information on health program coverage and identification of unmet need for FP and MCH and to generate new information on logistics and service delivery capacity of the supply side. Such innovations motivate the use of information not only in planning but real-time provision of FP and MCH services. The challenge, however, is how to sustain such innovations so that generation and analysis of data becomes an inherent part of the provision of services at the local level.

Keywords: local information system, maternal and child health, family planning, innovation