Indonesia halves child mortality rate: Unicef

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

While Indonesia has successfully cut its child mortality rates by half in the last 10 years, Indonesia remains on the list of countries with high mortality rate, a report says.

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) said in its report released on Thursday that Indonesia had managed to halve the deaths among children under five years from 91 in 1990 to 45 in 2002.

Indonesia, however, is the fourth Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) country with the highest under-five mortality after Cambodia, Myanmar and Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Cambodia has under-five mortality rate of 138 per 1,000 births in 2002, Myanmar 109, and Lao People's Democratic Republic 100. Fellow ASEAN member Singapore has the lowest under-five mortality rate of 4 per 1,000 births, Brunei Darusalam 6, Malaysia 8 and Thailand with 28.

Unicef also expressed optimism that with an annual average reduction rate of 5.9 percent, Indonesia was 'forging ahead' to reduce under-five child mortality by two-thirds over the next decade.

Under the UN's Millennium Development Goal, Indonesia is com mitted to reaching 30 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2015.

Unicef Communications Officer John Budd told The Jakarta Post the progress was due to several efforts done by the Indonesian government, including increasing the coverage of immunization.

"For an example, the coverage of immunization for measles among children from 12 months to 36 months increased from 57 percent in 1991 to 71 percent in 2002," he said.

"Better service in maternal and neonatal health also contrib uted to the increase in survival rate," said Budd.

He also mentioned that people's awareness on health issues, hygiene and sanitation had improved, as well as the government's ability to control communicable diseases.

However, Unicef Representative in Indonesia Steven Allen said that although the national average was declining, there were still areas with high under-five mortality, particularly in Eastern Indonesia.

"While the national average is coming down there are some pockets of high under-five mortality, in particular Eastern Indonesia," said Allen, apparently referring to, among others, West Nusa Tenggara province, where the under-five mortality was still a staggering 103 deaths per 1,000 births, more than double the national average.

The main causes of child mortality in Indonesia are acute respiratory infections, perinatal complications, diarrhea, tetanus, neural diseases, such as meningitis, and typhoid.

"If Indonesia is to meet its commitment to the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals of 30 under-five deaths per 1,000 by 2015 then it has to focus on the regional disparities," said Allen.

Budd said that problems occurred in Eastern Indonesia were very complex.

"The area itself is very remote, leaving access (to the area) is very difficult. People are difficult to communicate and lack of mass media leaves them with lack of awareness," he said.

"In the future, the health system has to be strengthened and programs should be directed to regions such as Nusa Tenggara and Papua," said Budd.

Child Mortality per 1,000 live births

1990 2002 Average Annual MDG target

Reduction Rate 2015

(in %)

Cambodia 115 138 -1.5 38 Myanmar 130 109 1.5 43 Lao People's Democratic Republic 163 100 4.1 54 INDONESIA 91 45 5.9 30 Vietnam 51 39 2.2 17 The Philippines 66 38 4.6 22 Thailand 40 28 3.0 13 Malaysia 21 8 8.0 7 Brunei Darussalam 11 6 5.1 4 Singapore 8 4 5.8 3

Source: UNICEF