Govt, NGOs to curb maternal mortality<\/p>\n
Leo Wahyudi S, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The nationwide campaign to curb mortality rates for pregnant
\nwomen was relaunched on Tuesday, involving more state
\ninstitutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in a bid
\nto reach out to more at-risk families.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for People and Social Welfare Jusuf
\nKalla, State Minister for Women Empowerment Sri Redjeki
\nSumaryoto, Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi, and representatives
\nof 40 NGOs joined the drive, a renewal of the 1999 movement
\ninitiated by the office of the State Minister for Women's
\nEmpowerment.<\/p>\n
The national effort, entitled the Love Mother Movement (GSI),
\nis part of the worldwide program under the White Ribbon Alliance,
\nwhich promotes health for pregnant women.<\/p>\n
The GSI will focus on raising public awareness of the high
\nlevel of maternal deaths from pregnancy and\/or childbirth
\ncomplications, with a target of reducing the maternal mortality
\nrates in the year 2010 to 125 per 100,000 births.<\/p>\n
Redjeki said that the economic crisis, which has not abated,
\nhas contributed to the high childbirth mortality rates in
\nIndonesia, which is now estimated at over 334 per 100,000 births,
\nthe third worst among member countries of the Association of
\nSoutheast Asia Nations (ASEAN).<\/p>\n
The other key reason, according to Redjeki, is the low level
\nof education among people in the country.<\/p>\n
Abdullah Cholil, director of the Maternal Neonatal Health non-
\ngovernmental organization, said that the GSI would encourage
\nchanges in society in addition to lobbying decision makers and
\nworking to facilitate more accessible public health services.<\/p>\n
"Practically, we need to provide women and society with
\nknowledge about pregnancy and reproductive health, while
\nimproving skills of midwives," Cholil said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-ngos-to-curb-maternal-mortality-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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