Ignorance keeps maternal death rate high

Asip Agus Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Ignorance within society and among policymakers has contributed to Indonesia maintaining it status as the country with the highest maternal death rate in all of Southeast Asia, despite more than two decades of child and mother health programs, a newly installed professor says.

Speaking in his inauguration speech before the Gadjah Mada University student senates, obstetrician and gynecologist Djaswadi Dasuki said that the country's family planning program was a result of government intervention that either failed to overcome the core problem or missed the target.

"The high maternal mortality rate is not related to medical capability or poor facilities, but the attitude and morals of society, health administrators and the government, which makes health policies," Djaswadi said.

The current maternal mortality rate in the country is estimated at 200 to every 10,000 births, which is 10 times higher than that of Malaysia.

Most of the deaths are caused by hemorrhaging, infection, eclampsia and pre-eclampsia.

Djaswadi criticized the slow decision-making on the part of the people, who should take a mother to the hospital when she was about to give a birth.

He also said that government-sponsored training for midwives and the provision of facilities for emergency deliveries were not supported by policies that protected women's rights to healthy reproduction. The policies include integrated, comprehensive and accessible medical services for all.

Djaswadi suggested that the government introduce a national health system that would help change the public's attitude toward medical services.

"The aim of reproductive health services should be changed from reducing to stopping maternal mortality," he said, adding that a law and regulations that bind policymakers, medical workers and patients themselves to protect the right to a clean and safe delivery.

Recognition of the right to proper reproductive health would not tolerate incompetent medical workers in the delivery room or inadequate delivery facilities, Djaswadi said.

"The cost of medical services should be shared between the government, medical service providers and society. The government, therefore, should provide social insurance for the poor," he said.