[Unpad.ac.id, 17/04/2013] In Indonesia, maternal mortality rate is reasonably high. The country ranks the third in South Asia and South East Asia regions. Based on a demographic survey and health in Indonesia in 2007, there were 228 maternal deaths in 100000 births, which means 20 to 30 times bigger when compared with Malaysia and Singapore.
According to Professor Dr. Dinan S. Bratakoesema, dr., SpOG(K) from the Faculty of Medicine, when giving a talk on “decreasing maternal mortality rate, a challenge for medical practitioners in West Java” in Unpad’s Teaching Hospital, the high rate is due to age limit, labor frequency, facilities, and medical aids. This means that campaigns on the advantage of contraceptives, in addition to creating more competent midwives to help mothers in rural areas give birth.
As a way to overcome issues related to maternal health, Professor Dinan, together with Indonesian Obstetrician and Gynecologist Association (POGI) is now organizing EMA—Expanding Maternal and Neonatal Survival in West Java which aims at improving referral system by accelerating communication among midwives, health center, and local general hospital; providing further education for midwives, and improving fast and excellent service during emergency in the referred hospitals.
“EMAS is to be carried out in six provinces in Indonesia, including West Java. Medical assistance and professionals will be assigned in 5 hospitals and 25 health centers in every province,” said Prof. Dinan. As for the communication system, EMAS will give each midwife with SMS Gateway device with his/her personal PUN to immediately contact referred hospitals in case of emergency. This program is expected to decrease the maternal mortality rate to 102 in every 100000 births in 2015.
