Maternal and child health caters to vulnerable mothers, infants and children who require special care. Women are vulnerable when embarking on motherhood because of illnesses and complications related to pregnancy and childbirth that can even cause death.
Infants are dependent on their mothers for survival because their immune system does not offer them sufficient protection. Unhealthy birth outcomes can cause health problems even in children who are above five years of age.
WHO prioritizes measures to improve maternal health and advocates for health planning based on women’s preferences. It is vital to introduce health initiatives spanning the entire continuum of pregnancy, child birth and postnatal care.
The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program is directed towards women, both during and after their pregnancy. It is also aimed at newborns, infants, and children to ensure that they grow up to have a healthy life. The maternal and child health program is included under the general health services in most countries because all governments want to ensure healthy and capable future generations.
The MCH program has to focus on improving accessibility to high-quality health services and eliminating socio-environmental problems that cause lasting damage to mothers and children. For example, places with unsafe water, uneven food distribution, high prevalence of infectious diseases and unsanitary conditions will always be dangerous for mothers and children. One has to improve maternal and child health by eliminating the problems from the root systematically.
The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program by USAID wants to improve the health of women and children by improving the accessibility of vital health services and ensuring higher availability. The program intends to strengthen the health system overall so that Pakistan's health industry can deliver innovative and impactful medical interventions.
The program wants to improve sanitation and hygiene practices and encourage people to access family planning and child health services.
This program is the result of a partnership between the federal government and states. The funds from the Title V MCH Block Grant are used to improve the health and well-being of mothers, infants, children, and families. It aims at:
This program wants to provide Filipino women with full access to high-quality health services to make their pregnancy safe. The program offers sustainable and cost-effective health services to disadvantaged women by collaborating with Local Government Units. Spreading awareness and knowledge helps facilitate the efficient delivery of maternal and newborn health services.
Maternal and Child Health programs and initiatives are crucial for ending preventable maternal death and detecting health issues in children early on.