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Jan Milo Severo - Philstar.com
July 6, 2026 | 5:26pm
The initiative aims to improve access to maternal healthcare by reducing financial barriers and encouraging women to seek prenatal care and treatment early.
Pixabay
MANILA, Philippines — A Batangas medical center has expanded its maternal and women's healthcare initiatives that offers free obstetric and gynecologic consultations.
The Mary Mediatrix Medical Center in Batangas launched its Alagang Mediatrix OB-GYN Program that also offers free childbirth services for qualified patients under the No Balance Billing Program.
The hospital said the initiative aims to improve access to maternal healthcare by reducing financial barriers and encouraging women to seek prenatal care and treatment early.
The program comes as maternal and infant health remain key public health concerns in the Philippines. According to the World Health Organization, the country's maternal mortality ratio stood at 84 deaths per 100,000 live births, while data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that Lipa City recorded seven maternal deaths in 2022, the highest in Batangas province. The city also recorded 48 fetal deaths during the same period, accounting for nearly 15% of the provincial total.
Dr. Elenita Diga, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said many maternal deaths could be prevented through timely access to healthcare.
"Many maternal deaths are preventable. One of the most dangerous complications we encounter is severe postpartum hemorrhage, or excessive bleeding after childbirth. This can happen after a normal delivery or a Cesarean section, and when it occurs, every minute matters," Diga said.
She said the hospital's program seeks to help women access prenatal care earlier, identify high-risk pregnancies sooner, and receive hospital-based treatment regardless of their financial circumstances.
The program provides free consultations for pregnant and non-pregnant women and covers a range of obstetric and gynecologic concerns. Patients requiring further care are referred to the hospital's Good Samaritan Clinic for follow-up consultations and treatment.
For qualified patients, the No Balance Billing Program covers ward accommodation, physicians' professional fees, selected laboratory and diagnostic services, medicines, prenatal care, and childbirth-related services. The hospital said the program is implemented in accordance with the national No Balance Billing policy through PhilHealth support and supplemented by institutional funding.
Hospital officials said the initiative is part of their broader effort to improve maternal health outcomes by promoting preventive care and ensuring that women receive appropriate medical attention before complications develop.
