One midwife for 5,000 women

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Every midwife posted on the densely populated Lombok Island has to serve up to 5,000 people every year, while those on the sparsely populated Sumbawa Island only have up to 500 patients.

According to the head of the provincial health office, Ismuhadi, there were already 500 midwives in the province whose total population is 3.6 million, according to the 1995 statistics, Antara reported yesterday.

The administration hopes to realize its target of providing at least one midwife for all of its 590 villages.

"Even then there is still a shortage, because there are villages whose population exceeds 15,000 people and who need more than one midwife," he said. (swe)