Govt to improve reproductive health

JAKARTA: The government is setting up a national commission on birth control in a move to reduce the number of abortion cases and maternal mortality rates in the country, which remain high among Southeast Asian countries.

Minister of Health Achmad Suyudi said at a workshop on reproductive health here on Monday that the commission was needed to coordinate policy-making and measures to curb the abortion rate. The commission will fall under the responsibility of the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla.

The commission will focus on young women in order to provide them with knowledge on reproductive health. Achmad said the pilot program was expected to protect youths from abortion, early marriage, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.

Achmad said that in the long run, the commission would also draft policies for the national family planning program, which is being run by the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN).

Abortion cases now reach 2 million annually, while the maternal mortality rate stands at 390 per 100,000 births. Malnutrition as a result of poverty has been blamed for the country's poor reproductive health record. -- Antara