1,000 Days from now: a program assessment of the Quezon's first 1,000 days program or Q1K in San Antonio, Quezon

Abstract

The Quezon's First 1,000 Days program was implemented on 2015 to reduce the significantly high rate of maternal mortality and child mortality in the province. It was administered in 11 pilot towns in the province of Quezon namely Jomalig, General Nakar, Mauban, Tiaong, San Antonio, Buenavista, Catanauan, San Andres, San Francisco, Unisan, Lopez, and Tagkawayan. As of November 22, 2016, 905 mothers have given birth and 901 had live births. This study aimed to assess the program in order to ensure that this is really helpful to the beneficiaries and to the betterment of the state of maternal and child health in the province. It discussed the current state of the program along with its achievements and identified its weak points, to put forward recommendations that will further improve the content of the program. This is a qualitative study and the researcher used KII and case study to obtain data vital to the study. The researcher talked to the program managers since they are knowledgeable on how the program works. The researcher also conducted case studies on the beneficiaries of the program in San Antonio, Quezon. It is important to know the perspective of the mothers about the program. The researcher found out that the program is still aligned with its targets and goals and is successful. However, there are few shortcomings identified. The number of maternal deaths and child deaths have significantly decline and the babies are healthier. The mothers didn't experience any difficulty during pregnancy and childbirth because all the services are provided for free from vitamins to delivery. The fathers are more empowered and involved all throughout the pregnancy of the mother as well as in the child-rearing because they undergo Parents Effectiveness Seminar. On the other hand, there are still bumps in the road such as cultural barriers, commitment to the program, difficulty in house visitations, and genuine participation of the beneficiaries. This study opened an opportunity to the government and to the public to prioritize and discuss the issue of maternal and child health in the country. Development will always be a long way to go if we set aside the health of the mothers and the children. Now is the time to revolutionize the maternal and child health as well as the healthcare system of the country.