Health care inadequate: Sujudi

MASOHI, Central Maluku: Minister of Health Sujudi said only 80 percent of Indonesians have access to health care facilities, Antara reported.

In poor areas, however, only 40 percent of the population can be reached by medical services due to distance and difficult terrain, Sujudi said after inaugurating three health projects, including the Dr. M. Haulussy Hospital, here Saturday.

One of the ways to increase health service coverage is by placing midwives in every one of the country's 66,000 villages, the minister said. So far, however, only 11,000 villages have midwives -- who also provide basic general medical care.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, only 40 percent of the population seek midwives' services when ill.

The government also intends to increase the number of village health centers. There are currently 7,000 such centers and 1,000 hospitals across the country. (swe)