"The six Indonesian provinces are North Sumatra, Banten, West Java, central Java, East Java and South Sulawesi," said Deputy Provincial Operations Expanding Maternal and Neonatal Survival (EMAS) Evodia A Iswandi here, Monday.
To lower the high figure of infant and mother deaths during childbirth in these six provinces, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is launching the EMAS program.
The joint program is being organized by the USAID and the Indonesian Health Ministry starting from 2012-2016 in the six province of Indonesia with the highest maternal mortality rates.
As an illustration of the high mortality rate, West Java province has an average of two to three mothers who die each day, and nine to 10 newborns die each day.
According to Evodia, one of the chief causes of maternal death during childbirth or after birth is due to heavy bleeding.
While infant mortality is mostly a result of the delayed medical assistance during childbirth, a lack of nutrition for infants is also a reason for the deaths.
The EMAS program in South Sulawesi is to be carried out in four districts, Pinrang, Sidrap, Gowa and Bulukumba.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
