Asia Pacific Management and Research Group Inc., in partnership with the Philippine Society for Responsible Parenthood, Inc. and supported by UNICEF, implemented the Community-Based HIV Program for Pregnant Women and Girls. The project began in the 4th quarter 2025 and extended into early 2026, focusing on strengthening maternal HIV services through improved screening, referral systems, and community level interventions.

The program addressed critical gaps in early detection and continuity of care, with the goal of reducing mother to child transmission and improving outcomes for both mothers and infants.

Strengthening Maternal HIV Services at the Community Level

Based on the final report, the project responded to key challenges such as low HIV testing uptake, delayed identification of cases, and weak referral coordination.

A community-based approach was implemented to bring services closer to pregnant women and girls. This included strengthening routine HIV screening, promoting repeat testing when needed, and ensuring that identified cases were properly referred and managed.

The strategy emphasized practical improvements in real field settings, ensuring that systems work effectively where services are delivered.

Key Program Components and Achievements

The project delivered several critical components that supported system strengthening.

• A policy review on the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B helped align local efforts with national and global strategies.
• Community education initiatives increased awareness and demand for HIV testing among pregnant women.
• Training of barangay health workers and peer educators improved frontline capacity to identify and support at risk individuals.
• Referral systems were strengthened to ensure better linkage between communities, health facilities, and HIV treatment hubs.
• A prototype community-based information system was developed to demonstrate how digital tools can support tracking and monitoring.

Together, these components created a more coordinated and responsive system of care.

PATH as a Prototype for Future Systems

As part of the program, the Pregnancy and Tracking System for HIV or PATH was developed as a prototype. It was designed to demonstrate how digital tools can support patient tracking and program monitoring.

The system design document shows that PATH can capture patient level data, track HIV testing status, monitor referrals, and document outcomes. However, it was not deployed as a full operational system during the project.

Instead, it served as a model for future digital integration, illustrating how technology can complement community-based service delivery.

Improving Referral Systems and Continuity of Care

The program significantly strengthened referral pathways by improving coordination between barangay health workers, primary care facilities, and HIV treatment hubs.

This led to more efficient tracking of patients and reduced delays in accessing confirmatory testing and treatment. Pregnant women diagnosed with HIV were more likely to be linked to appropriate care in a timely manner.

Building Capacity at the Frontlines

Capacity building was a central component of the initiative. Barangay health workers and peer educators were trained on HIV prevention, testing protocols, and referral processes.

They were also guided on how to support patients throughout the care continuum, from identification to treatment. The introduction of the PATH prototype further helped illustrate how digital tools can enhance their work.

Data for Better Decision Making

The project improved how data is collected and used at the local level. Health workers were able to monitor key indicators such as testing coverage and referral completion.

This allowed local teams to identify service gaps and respond more effectively. The PATH prototype demonstrated the potential for real time monitoring in future implementations.

Sustainability and Future Directions

Sustainability was built into the program by embedding improvements within existing health systems and workflows. The community-based approach ensures that gains can be maintained beyond the project period.

The PATH prototype provides a clear direction for future development of digital systems that support maternal HIV care.

Moving Forward

The Community-Based HIV Program for Pregnant Women and Girls demonstrates how strong partnerships between APMARGIN, the Philippine Society for Responsible Parenthood, Inc., and UNICEF can drive meaningful improvements in public health.

Combining community engagement, system strengthening, and innovation, the project contributes to long term efforts to eliminate mother to child transmission and improve maternal and child health outcomes.

If you would like to request the full report, feel free to reach out. We are ready to share the findings, insights, and lessons from the field. Because meaningful action starts with a clear understanding of what is truly happening on the ground.