Equity-focused investment strategies to reduce maternal mortality in the Philippines: a subnational analysis using EQUIST.

Authors

Krista Whitley, Polina Lebedeva, Andre Craig Christie, Annabelle Sim, Desere Thompson, Sally Hukpati, Lakshmi Balaji

Published in

Journal of global health. Volume 16. Pages 04360. Oct 02, 2026. Epub Oct 02, 2026.

Abstract

Despite sustained national progress in maternal and child health, maternal mortality in the Philippines remains uneven across regions and socioeconomic groups. Women in poor, rural, and conflict-affected areas experience substantially higher maternal mortality than those in higher-income and urban populations. We aimed to assess subnational inequities in maternal mortality and estimate the potential impact and cost-effectiveness of prioritised maternal health interventions in Philippine regions with maternal mortality ratios exceeding the national benchmark.
We conducted an equity analysis and developed an investment case using the UNICEF Equitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST). Regional maternal mortality ratios were based on 2019 subnational estimates, with the 2017 national maternal mortality ratio used as the benchmark for regional stratification. Intervention effectiveness estimates were drawn from published evidence syntheses and global clinical guidelines, and EQUIST's costing module draws on LiST and the Marginal Budgeting for Bottlenecks approach. Three intervention packages were modelled: upgrading basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care facility readiness; ensuring universal availability of uterotonics and magnesium sulphate; and expanding access to modern contraception among adolescents, women from poor households, and high-parity women. Projected maternal deaths averted, disability-adjusted life years averted, and cost per DALY were estimated through 2030.
Our modelling suggested that prioritised intervention packages could avert approximately 1,000-2,500 maternal deaths cumulatively through 2030. Facility readiness upgrades were projected to avert 1,000-1,500 maternal deaths, life-saving commodities 1,500-2,000, and modern contraception expansion 2,000-2,500. Sensitivity analysis varying key inputs by ±15% produced corresponding sensitivity ranges of 850-1,750, 1,275-2,300, and 1,700-2,875 maternal deaths averted, respectively. Modern contraception expansion had the lowest modelled cost per DALY averted at approximately US$150, compared with USD 300 for life-saving commodities and USD 450 for facility readiness upgrades.
Maternal mortality in the Philippines remains concentrated among disadvantaged subnational populations. Equity-targeted investments, combined with strengthened emergency obstetric care, reliable life-saving commodities, and expanded access to modern contraception, can achieve substantial mortality reductions at highly cost-effective levels.

PMID:
42825368
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 02 Oct 2026.

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