Philippines: Health care for the hardest-to-reach children

UNICEF

7 Apr 201402:19

Summary

TLDRUNICEF-supported health teams in the Philippines are working to deliver essential health supplies and vaccinations to remote areas around Panay Island, which were severely impacted by Typhoon Haiyan. Focusing on hard-to-reach communities, they prioritize the most vulnerable, including children under 5 and pregnant or lactating mothers. The initiative aims to restore routine immunizations and improve health care access for those displaced by the disaster, with local midwives like Maria Roselyn Batan playing a crucial role in providing care despite personal losses.

Takeaways

🏥 UNICEF is supporting health teams in the Philippines to deliver health supplies and register children for vaccinations in remote areas.
🌪️ Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) caused significant damage to health centers and disrupted routine immunization services.
📍 The first strategic decision by UNICEF post-Yolanda was to prioritize assistance to hard-to-reach areas, which are often neglected in humanitarian aid.
👶 Health teams are focusing on registering children under 5 and pregnant or lactating mothers for essential health care.
💉 When incomplete immunizations are identified, the teams arrange for vaccinations at local health clinics.
🤰 Midwife Maria Roselyn Batan, a long-time local health care provider, is part of the health team, despite being displaced by the typhoon herself.
🏠 Batan and her husband repaired a health station in Bantigue, allowing her to continue providing care to her community.
🛤️ The health teams are traversing difficult terrain to reach as many mothers and children as possible, ensuring health care access.
📢 This initiative is part of a pilot program aimed at improving health care access for vulnerable populations.
🔗 For more information on UNICEF's work, visit unicef.org.

Q & A

Where is the UNICEF-supported health team operating?
-The health team is operating around Panay Island in the Philippines.
What is the team's primary mission during their navigation of the waters?
-The team's primary mission is to deliver health supplies and register children in remote areas for vaccinations.
What was the impact of Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Yolanda, on health centers in the area?
-Typhoon Haiyan damaged or destroyed countless health centers, disrupting services such as routine immunizations.
Why did UNICEF prioritize hard-to-reach areas in their response to Yolanda?
-UNICEF prioritized hard-to-reach areas because they are often neglected when it comes to humanitarian aid, and UNICEF aims to ensure these areas receive necessary support.
What is the goal of the pilot program that the UNICEF work is a part of?
-The goal is to improve access to essential health care for mothers and children, with a focus on the most vulnerable and those living in hard-to-reach areas.
How does the health team identify children and mothers in need of health care services?
-Health teams go door-to-door to register children under 5, and pregnant and lactating mothers.
What action does the team take when they find someone who is not fully immunized?
-When someone is not fully immunized, the team arranges for the necessary vaccinations at a local health clinic.
Who is Maria Roselyn Batan and what is her role in the health team?
-Maria Roselyn Batan is a midwife on the health team, providing health care in the area for over 20 years, and she is also among the people displaced by the typhoon.
What was the condition of Batan's home after the typhoon, and how did she continue her work?
-Batan's home was washed away by the typhoon. After her husband made basic repairs to the health station in Bantigue, they moved into a back room so she could continue providing health care.
What challenges does Batan and her team face as they work to reach mothers and children?
-Batan and her team face difficult terrain and cover extensive ground in their efforts to reach as many mothers and children as possible, regardless of their location.
Who is the reporter providing this information, and where can more information be found?
-The reporter is Thomas Nybo, and more information can be found by visiting unicef.org.

Outlines

00:00

🏥 UNICEF Health Team's Efforts in the Philippines

A UNICEF-supported health team is working around Panay Island in the Philippines, delivering health supplies and registering children for vaccinations in remote areas. The team is part of a pilot program aimed at improving access to essential healthcare for mothers and children, particularly those who are most vulnerable and live in hard-to-reach areas. The team prioritizes these areas due to the historical neglect they often face during humanitarian aid efforts. Health teams are going door-to-door to register children under 5 and pregnant or lactating mothers, ensuring they receive necessary vaccinations at local health clinics. Midwife Maria Roselyn Batan, a local who was displaced by Typhoon Haiyan, is part of the team. Despite losing her home, she continues to provide healthcare in the remote community of Bantigue. The team faces challenging terrain but remains committed to reaching as many mothers and children as possible.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡UNICEF

UNICEF stands for the United Nations Children's Fund, a United Nations (UN) agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental assistance to children in developing countries. In the context of the video, UNICEF is supporting health teams in the Philippines to deliver health supplies and register children for vaccinations, particularly in areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan. The organization's involvement highlights its commitment to improving child health and well-being.

💡Panay Island

Panay Island is one of the larger islands in the Philippines. In the video, it is the location where the UNICEF-supported health team is navigating the waters to reach remote areas. The island serves as the backdrop for the video's narrative, emphasizing the geographical challenges faced by the health teams in their mission to provide essential health care services.

💡Typhoon Haiyan

Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Yolanda in the Philippines, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded. It caused widespread destruction in the Philippines, including damage to health centers and disruption of services like routine immunizations. The video script mentions the typhoon to underscore the urgency and importance of the health team's work in restoring health services in the affected areas.

💡Health supplies

Health supplies refer to the medical materials and equipment needed to provide healthcare services. In the video, the UNICEF-supported health team is delivering these supplies to remote areas, which were impacted by Typhoon Haiyan. The delivery of health supplies is crucial for the team's mission to ensure that children and mothers in these areas have access to essential healthcare services.

💡Vaccinations

Vaccinations are medical procedures involving the administration of vaccines to provide immunity against specific infectious diseases. The video emphasizes the importance of routine immunizations, which were disrupted by Typhoon Haiyan. The health teams are registering children for vaccinations to ensure they receive the necessary protection against preventable diseases.

💡Hard-to-reach areas

Hard-to-reach areas are regions that are difficult to access due to geographical, infrastructural, or logistical challenges. The video script highlights UNICEF's strategic decision to prioritize these areas for humanitarian aid, as they are often neglected. The health teams' efforts to reach these areas demonstrate the commitment to ensuring that no child is left without access to essential healthcare services.

💡Pilot program

A pilot program is a small-scale, trial version of a larger project or initiative. In the video, the UNICEF work is part of a pilot program aimed at improving access to essential healthcare for mothers and children, especially the most vulnerable. This program serves as a testbed for strategies and interventions that could potentially be scaled up to benefit a larger population.

💡Midwife

A midwife is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. In the video, Maria Roselyn Batan, a midwife, is a key member of the health team. Her role is crucial in providing prenatal and postnatal care to pregnant and lactating mothers in the remote areas they serve.

💡Displaced

Displaced refers to individuals who have been forced to leave their homes due to various reasons, such as natural disasters or conflicts. The video mentions that over 4 million people were displaced by Typhoon Haiyan. Maria Roselyn Batan is among these displaced individuals, adding a personal connection to the mission of providing healthcare to her community.

💡Immunized

To be immunized means to have received vaccinations that protect against specific infectious diseases. The video script discusses the health team's efforts to ensure that children are fully immunized by arranging for necessary vaccinations at local health clinics. This process is vital for maintaining the health and well-being of the children in the affected areas.

💡Health clinic

A health clinic is a facility that provides outpatient healthcare services. In the context of the video, local health clinics are crucial for administering vaccinations to children who have not been fully immunized. The health teams work in collaboration with these clinics to ensure that children and mothers have access to the healthcare services they need.

Highlights

UNICEF-supported health team navigates waters around Panay Island in the Philippines for health supply delivery and vaccination registration.

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) caused extensive damage to health centers, disrupting routine immunizations.

UNICEF prioritized hard-to-reach areas for humanitarian aid, recognizing their vulnerability to neglect.

The UNICEF pilot program aims to enhance essential healthcare access for mothers and children, particularly the most vulnerable.

Health teams conduct door-to-door registrations for children under 5, pregnant, and lactating mothers.

Immunization gaps are addressed by arranging necessary vaccinations at local clinics upon discovery.

Midwife Maria Roselyn Batan, a long-time local healthcare provider, is part of the health team.

Batan, displaced by the typhoon, continues to provide care from a repaired health station in Bantigue.

Despite personal loss, Batan's dedication to her community's health is unwavering.

The health team, including Batan, covers difficult terrain to reach as many mothers and children as possible.

Thomas Nybo reports on UNICEF's efforts on Panay Island, highlighting the team's commitment to remote areas.

For more detailed information, UNICEF encourages visits to their official website, unicef.org.