The intersections of multiple burden: "rural poor pregnant women" and access to maternal health services of Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital and the impending corporatization

Abstract

Access to maternal healthcare is an essential factor to improve the health outcome of the citizens, especially of pregnant women. This improvement will then result to decreasing maternal mortality rate of the country. However, access of poor pregnant women to healthcare remains problematic, especially to those pregnant women who live in rural poor communities with the constraints of accessing healthcare as to social, physical, economical and geographical factors. Furthermore, there is unequal distribution of hospitals and health professionals in the country, totalling to multiple burden experienced by the rural poor pregnant women. Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital is the biggest maternity public hospital where most poor pregnant women chose to give birth. It is located in Sta. Cruz Manila, positioned at the center of a slum area, where huge numbers of rural poor pregnant women travel to reach the cheapest maternal healthcare they can afford. However, with the personal burden they carry, Fabella is a place where their struggles continue to exist. Including the impending privatization of the hospital, poor pregnant women are facing the threat of further lack of access to required healthcare. This study aims to explore the experiences of the rural poor pregnant women of Fabella. It aims to underscore their struggles in accessing maternal healthcare as to social, physical, economic and geographical constraints from pre-natal to labour services. Some doctors, Department of Health representative, progressive health organizations, legal framework and 15 participants from Fabella were examined to obtain different perspective on access to healthcare.