WHO pushes intensified women, child healthcare

MANILA, Philippines — The World Health Organizations (WHO) has called on all governments to expand their education and training programs, along with measures to improve recruitment, performance, and retention of healthcare workers, especially in rural and underserved areas.

The call was made after a number of low-income economies failed to meet the minimum threshold of 23 doctors, nurses, and midwives per 10,000 population that was established by WHO as necessary to deliver essential maternal and child health services.

The WHO report said only five of the 49 countries, which have been prioritized by the United Nations’ Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, meet the minimum threshold.

“A comprehensive approach, supported by strong national leadership, governance and information systems, is needed to ensure skilled, motivated and supported health workers in the right place at the right time,” WHO said in a statement.

The world health body expressed concern about the failure of poor countries to provide skilled care at birth to significant numbers of pregnant women, as well as emergency and specialized services for newborn and young children because it has direct consequences on the numbers of deaths of women and children.

It said the fulfillment of the eight-point Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly the promotion of maternal health is in jeopardy.

All governments who are signatories to the 2000 Millennium Development Declaration are expected to achieve the MDG goals within the next five years, which include maternal health, poverty reduction, universal education, gender equality, child mortality, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, environmental sustainability and global partnership for development. –CHARISSA M. LUCI, Manila Bulletin