Philippine E-Journals

Strengthening community outreach services through an innovative newborn to early childhood home visitation program

Maria Eva I. Jopson

Discipline: medicine by specialism

 

Abstract:

The Newborn to Early Childhood Home Visitation Program of the Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) assesses and follows-up newborns in an identified local community. Pediatric residents supervised by a consultant serve as the home visitors. The objective of this case study was to strengthen the community outreach services of PC?? by looking into the operational concerns of the program, based on the six building blocks of the health system. A 34-item client satisfaction survey was used to assess the quality and responsiveness of services. Other issues were obtained through interviews, focused group discussion, SWOT analysis and site observations. Only 25% of newborns in the community were covered by the program. Forty families were eligible for the study. Less than half of the mothers attained secondary school level and Overall, majority the were not employed. Twenty five percent of the families were uninsured. quality and responsiveness of services were rated as excellent. monitoring, The program's strength was in the provision of health services in five areas: growth health education. developmental The screening, injury prevention, acute illness treatment and family manpower and resources. home visitation program was highly dependent on the use of PCMC generated Centralized health information and researches were not adequately out of the program. Supply of essential medicines needed by the children was inadequate. Financial utilization for budget allocation needs to be implemented. Our findings showed intersectoral that collaboration. it is very difficult to address all the needs of the community without Although the role of the family is crucial, the contribution of different agencies in the community is as important.