Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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Ensuring the Quality of Health Care Among Mothers and
Children: Maternal and Child Health Handbook Movement in
Southeast Asia
Calvin S. de los Reyes, BS Public Health (Cum Laude),
Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Environmental Microbiology),
Doctoral Candidate (International Collaboration-Public Health)
and
Yasuhide Nakamura, MD, PhD
Professor
International Collaboration Division,
Graduate School of Human Sciences,
Osaka University
1-2 Yamadaoka, Suita-shi
Osaka, Japan 565-0871
Phone number: 081-6-6879-8064
cdreyes3@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The maternal and child health (MCH) is a major concern in
Southeast Asia (SEA). According to WHO, of the 50,000 maternal
deaths every year in the Western Pacific Region, nearly 40% occur
in Cambodia, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam. Furthermore, more
than one million infants die before their first birthday with more
than 300,000 babies die at birth. SEA countries also have high
maternal mortality ratios. One public health measure feasible for
the promotion of MCH is the MCH handbook (MCHH). The role of the
MCHH is two-fold – it serves as a health education material which
contributes to the mother’s knowledge and serves as a
comprehensive health record book which integrates health records.
It has been part of health programs in Indonesia and Thailand, with
others following suit. This study aimed to determine the utilization
of MCHH in SEA countries. Specifically, it aimed to determine the
country-to-country situation and identify successes achieved and
challenges faced by each of the countries. To attain these, in
addition to records and documents review, an interview was
conducted among health administrators involved with their
country’s MCH program. The MCHH is currently promoted among
pregnant women and children under 6 years of age. A copy costs
0.25 to 5 dollars to produce, typically free of charge for the target
population. The common information included in the handbook are:
family data, pregnancy records, maternal immunization record,
delivery information, apgar score, infant information, child’s weight
and height, child’s immunization, child’s illness history, family
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