Health and Nutrition

We help children grow up healthy and strong.

Every child has the right to live a healthy life. Every child, especially infants and newborns, girls who are pregnant and those who are poor, with disability and living in remote and indigenous communities, have the right to the best possible health care services.

Yet in the Philippines, newborns from poor families are twice more likely to die than newborns from wealthier families.

In the Philippines, the most dangerous part of a person's life is the day they're born.

Not all Filipino children can make it to their 1st birthday. Why? Poor nutrition is among the culprits.

The Philippines ranks 9th in the world for having the most stunted children – those too short for their age. In fact, 1 in 3 Filipino children is stunted.

Stunting is caused by consistent poor nutrition, and its effects can be long-lasting. Stunting delays both body and brain development, hence it may affect children's school performance and future careers.

In total, around 3.6 million (or nearly 30%) of Filipino children under five years are stunted. Stunted children are also 4 times more at risk of dying.

Saving Mothers

We give prime importance to keeping mothers healthy.

A child whose mother dies in childbirth is more likely to die than a child whose mother survives.

Good nutrition starts at pregnancy. After all, what the mother eats, the child receives.

To boost maternal health, we:

- Provide maternal, newborn, and child health programs.

- Improve systems among communities to increase the number of deliveries with skilled birth attendance.

- Promote exclusive breastfeeding, immunizations, and micronutrient supplements.

Hygiene and Sanitation

Only around 72% of Filipino households have access to clean water and sanitation.

We educate communities on the links between proper hygiene and good health.

We also help them increase their access to essential hygiene items, clean water, and sanitation facilities, especially in times of emergencies.

Adolescent Health

We're also talking to teenagers about their health.

We support adolescent-friendly health centers so that health workers and parents can better understand the issues that teenagers are experiencing, communicate better with them, and help them with their concerns.

We educate teenage girls and boys on reproductive health, menstrual health, gender equality, adolescence and puberty.

Our peer educators are also raising awareness on how to prevent sexually transmitted infection, HIV and AIDS, and unintended pregnancies. At the same time, we're fighting misinformation, stigma, and discrimination.

A healthy child is a happy child

Save the Children wants children to grow up happy and healthy. To do this, we:

- Train local health workers in delivering life-saving care for newborn children.

- Teach parents and schools on proper childcare and nutrition.

- Train pupils on dental care and personal hygiene.

- Provide services to improve maternal, infant, and adolescent health.

- Carry out a malnutrition treatment program among poor communities.

- Provide emergency healthcare for children and families affected by armed conflict or natural disasters.

- Raise awareness on child malnutrition through our #LahatDapat campaign.

- Influence and work with government at national and local levels for the adoption of policies that support effective health programs for children.

Until today, several Filipino children are getting sick because they don't have access to quality health services or proper nutrition.

Treatable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, measles, and neo-natal conditions are still among the biggest causes of child deaths in the Philippines.

To help respond to such issues, we work with the Department of Health, the National Nutrition Council, local governments, partner organizations, communities, and families.