ILOILO City – The Iloilo City government has intensified its maternal and women’s health campaign with the launch of a weeklong Maternal and Child Health Caravan, as health authorities pursue an ambitious goal of achieving zero maternal deaths in the city.
The Iloilo City Health Office (CHO) said the initiative — dubbed “Healthy Ka, Ilongga!” — will bring integrated health services directly to women through district health centers across the city as part of the Women’s Month celebration.
The caravan will run from March 16 to 20 in nine district main health centers, providing a one-stop approach to healthcare services for women, mothers, and adolescents.
Mary Joy Rapadas, Safe Motherhood Program coordinator of the CHO, said the program aims to remove barriers that prevent women from accessing essential health services.
“The activity aims to promote women’s health and empowerment by providing integrated and accessible health services for women, mothers, adolescents, and female citizens of Iloilo City,” Rapadas said.
The health caravan highlights services already offered in district health centers but seeks to encourage more women to take advantage of them through a more coordinated and accessible approach.
Among the services offered are prenatal and postnatal consultations, family planning services, breastfeeding counseling, nutrition assessment, dental services, tuberculosis screening, adolescent health assessment, and risk assessment for non-communicable diseases.
The city will also provide visual inspection using acetic acid (VIA) and Pap smear tests as part of its cancer screening program.
Rapadas said the caravan follows a one-visit integrated service approach, allowing women to avail themselves of several health services during a single trip to the health center.
“We want women to know that these services are free and already available in our district health centers,” she said.
Health officials stressed that preventive care remains central to public health programs, particularly for women who often delay checkups due to family and work responsibilities.
“In public health, we emphasize preventive measures. Women should not wait until they are sick before going to the health center,” Rapadas said.
She added that the integrated approach helps address challenges such as transportation costs and time constraints faced by many women.
“With one visit, they can already avail of several services. We understand that transportation costs and responsibilities at home can make it difficult for them to visit health centers frequently,” she said.
The Safe Motherhood program also places strong emphasis on maternal care during pregnancy to prevent complications and reduce maternal mortality.
Rapadas said pregnant women are encouraged to complete at least eight prenatal visits to ensure early detection of health risks and proper monitoring.
During prenatal check-ups, healthcare workers assess the mother’s nutrition, monitor vital signs, screen for infections such as urinary tract infections, and provide iron and calcium supplements to prevent anemia and other pregnancy-related complications.
“We want to ensure that both the mother and baby are safe during pregnancy and after delivery,” she said.
Data from the CHO showed that six maternal deaths were recorded in Iloilo City in 2025, although only three involved city residents while the other cases were referrals from outside areas due to the presence of tertiary hospitals in the city.
Despite remaining within the Department of Health’s standard maternal mortality ratio, Rapadas said the city government continues to aim higher.
“Our aim is zero maternal deaths. No mother and no baby should die due to preventable causes,” she said.
She urged women to take advantage of the free health services available at district health centers as part of the city’s broader effort to build a healthier community.
“Public health is about prevention. Our services are already available every day in our district health centers. We invite all women to visit and take care of their health,” Rapadas said./PN
