In a Jakarta talk show on Tuesday, Program Specialist for Sexual and Reproductive Health at UNFPA Indonesia Sandeep Nanwani drew attention to alarming figures. Indonesia's postpartum maternal mortality rate stands at a staggering 189 deaths per 100 thousand deliveries.
This figure is significantly higher than those of neighboring countries such as Singapore (seven per 100 thousand), Thailand (29 per 100 thousand), and Vietnam (46 per 100 thousand), making it a critical issue in the Southeast Asian region.
Nanwani expressed deep concern, noting that this stark reality contradicts Indonesia’s economic progress.
He pointed out that postpartum bleeding is a primary contributor to this high mortality rate.
To address this, Nanwani outlined several evidence-based strategies.
The first approach is reducing anemia prevalence among pregnant women by 25 percent through screening and iron supplementation for young women and brides-to-be, which could lead to a 10 percent decrease in maternal deaths.
Second, increasing early detection of postpartum bleeding from 50 percent to 90 percent has the potential to reduce mortality by 50 percent.
Third, prompt action in cases of postpartum hemorrhage can lower fatalities by 12 percent.
"If we can implement these strategies comprehensively, we can dramatically reduce maternal mortality by 80 percent," Nanwani asserted.
He underscored the pivotal role of midwives in preventing anemia, early detection of bleeding, and stabilizing hemorrhagic conditions. To achieve this, Nanwani advocated for enhancing midwife competency and building sustainable midwife capacity to reduce Indonesia's postpartum maternal death toll.
Nanwani emphasized that midwives are central to this effort, and their role in preventing anemia, early detection, and hemorrhage management is indispensable.
To this end, Nanwani advocated for bolstering midwife skills and creating sustainable support systems to save countless lives.
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Translator: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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