The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Municipality of Sta. Cruz with the support of the Provincial Government of Laguna are partnering to strengthen maternal health and contribute to efforts to reduce preventable maternal deaths in the Philippines through WomenX, an integrated maternal health model that connects women to facility-based care, telemedicine, and community support.
The municipality of Sta. Cruz serves as an important referral hub for pregnant women in Laguna. Its public hospital, Laguna Medical Center, receives referrals of high-risk and complicated maternal cases from municipalities across the province. By strengthening services and referral pathways in Sta. Cruz, WomenX aims to help ensure that women, including those referred from surrounding communities, can access timely and appropriate maternal health care to reduce maternal mortality in the Philippines.
WomenX brings together a stronger maternal health service delivery network through enhanced facility and system readiness, telemedicine consultations with obstetrician-gynecologists and midwives, and the Buntis Partner Initiative for community-based pregnancy identification. A facility readiness assessment has also been conducted with public and private health facilities in Sta. Cruz to map out opportunities for collaboration to strengthen the delivery of maternal health services in the municipality.
‘Every pregnancy should be supported, and every childbirth should be safe. Knowing about a pregnancy early and ensuring timely access to quality care can make a life-saving difference. Through WomenX, we are connecting women to communities, health workers, specialists, and health facilities so they can get the care and support they need, especially when they need it most,’ said Neus Bernabeu, UNFPA Philippines Country Representative.
Mayor Joseph Kris Benjamin Agarao emphasized the impact of maternal mortality in the municipality: ‘Behind every number is a mother, a family, a community. When we save a life of a mother, we help protect an entire family and we provide children an opportunity to grow up with their mother by their side.’ Emphasizing the importance of the municipality›s collaboration with UNFPA.
Through the partnership, UNFPA will provide technical assistance and support evidence and learning, working with the Municipality of Sta. Cruz, provincial government of Laguna, local health workers, and communities.
By bringing together community-based support, digital health, referral networks, and facility readiness, WomenX aims to strengthen the continuum of maternal health care and help more women receive the right care at the right time.