Infant death rate remains high

PADANG, West Sumatra: The provincial government hopes that midwives can help reduce the infant mortality rate from the current 57 to 50 per 1,000 live births over the next four years.

To achieve the target, the government has recruited 400 new midwives how will work in villages throughout the province for three years.

According to the official 1994 statistics, the national mortality rate stood at 54 per 1,000 live births.

Secretary to the provincial government Zainal Bakar said the midwives are expected to be able to slash infant mortality rate in remote villages where basic health services are inadequate.

West Sumatra currently has 2,093 midwives. They are provided with bicycles and 1,000 of them have already been provided with houses. (32)