Lampung needs 750 more midwives

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: The province needs at least 750 more trained midwives to help in remote areas.

Tuti Wagiran, chief of the local midwives association, said yesterday that due to the lack of trained midwives, traditional untrained midwives still play an important role in birth.

"About 45-50 percent of births in Lampung are attended by untrained midwives," Tuti was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday.

She said that last year, untrained midwives attended about 60 percent of births. Health authorities have conducted routine training for midwives in the villages, she said.

The local midwives association has 1,250 members. They serve over 2,000 villages across the province. (pan)