Australia gives $4.25 in health aid

JAKARTA: Australia announced on Tuesday its funding of US$4.25 million to a joint program between Unicef and the Indonesian government aimed at improving maternal health in eastern parts of the country.

The development program will be focused on nine regencies -- East and West Sumba, Alor and Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara province, and Jayapura, Jayawijaya, Biak Numfor and Sorong in Papua province, said a media statement from the Australian Embassy here.

The maternal and infant mortality rates of the two provinces are among the highest in Indonesia, where in some regencies a woman dies for every 100 live births, it added. --JP