JICA cites support in improving Philippine health care systems

December 19, 2017

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Tuesday underscored its support to the Philippine health care systems in light of the recent forum in Tokyo affirming Japan’s commitment to poverty alleviation by ensuring equitable and improved access to quality health care services.

The forum focusing on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) brings together other development agencies World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, UNICEF, and UHC 2030 this month tackling issues on UHC and medical care.

“The experience of JICA in the Philippines particularly in strengthening maternal and child health systems in remote, poor areas is an example that can be replicated in other areas. The cooperation, which we implemented in the Cordillera and in Eastern Visayas, helped reduce maternal deaths significantly and encouraged pregnant women to enroll in health insurance,” explained JICA Senior Representative Ayumi Ohshima.

“The cooperation is a good model on tapping community-based interventions, training health workers on recording health data, and utilizing health insurance to improve health care,” he added.

Cited as among the 2017 recipients of the JICA President Award, honoring organizations for the positive results of JICA activities, the cooperation ‘Strengthening for Local Health System for Effective and Efficient Delivery of Maternal and Child Health Services’ (2012-2017) helped reduced maternal mortality rate in the Cordillera to 45 for every 100,000 live childbirths in 2015 from 62-71 in the previous years.

Under the project, insurance enrollment rate of Filipino pregnant women in project sites increased to 79 percent on the fourth year, from mere 50 percent during the project’s second year.

A JICA data collection survey completed in 2016 also cited UHC as among the key areas where JICA can further assist the Philippines in enhancing access to quality health care and safeguarding people from public health risks. DMS