RI's maternal mortality rate highest in SE Asia

P.C. Naommy The Jakarta Post Jakarta

The maternal mortality rate in Indonesia has reached 373 per 100,000 births, the highest in Southeast Asia.

Chairman of the Indonesian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (POGI) Suryono said on Wednesday that the lack of awareness about reproductive health in society and inadequate provisions in the law were behind the high number of maternal deaths.

"Law No. 23/1992 does not provide sufficient regulations on reproduction health and people's rights in reproduction, that's why we need to amend it," said Suryono on the sidelines of a hearing with House Commission VII on Wednesday.

According to Suryono, Singapore's maternal mortality rate stands at less than 10 per 100,000 births, Malaysia at less than 50, Vietnam between 70 to 80, and the Philippines at 120.

The main factors causes of maternal deaths are hemorrhaging, eclampsia and complications from abortions. A contributing factor is the lack of professional assistance at delivery.

The latest joint study by POGI, the World Health Organization and Indonesia's Ministry of Health revealed that there an estimated 2.3 million abortions are performed each year in Indonesia.

The study estimated that from the 2.3 million, some 600,000 cases involved contraceptive failure, 700,000 cases were due to poor economic conditions and one million were unwanted pregnancies.

The draft for the amended law accommodates male and female reproductive health, reproductive rights and a special article on women's reproductive rights.

According to Article 70(1) of the amendment to Law No. 23/1992, every person has the right to a healthy sexual and reproductive life, which is safe and free from coercion or violence.

Article 71 states that the government is obligated to provide safe, qualified, and affordable reproductive health services as well as sufficient information about reproductive health.

Vice chairman of the commission, Ahmad Sanusi Tambunan, said that the House's plenary meeting in early 2003 had approved the amendment and now they were waiting for the government's response.

"While POGI will approach the Ministry of Health, YKP will approach President Megawati about the urgency of the law. She is a woman and a mother, she would understand these obstacles better," said Ninuk Widyantoro, the chairwoman of Women's Health Foundation (YKP).

The WHO 2003 survey reported that Indonesia's Human Development Index (HDI) dropped from 110th in 2000, to 112th in 2003 due to the decline in the quality of health in the country. Both years the United Nations body surveyed 175 countries.

Among the indicators were the high infant mortality rate (50 out of every 1,000 births), high maternal mortality rate (373 out of 100,000 births) and low life expectancy (66.2 years).