Midwives in the Region Still Face Many Obstacles

KOMPAS.com - The role of the midwife is very important for public health. Data Indonesian Midwives Association (IBI) states, at least 60 per cent of babies born in Indonesia through midwives. Maternity services through obstetricians only about 5 (five) percent, and the rest are still using non-medical services.

Unfortunately, the task of the midwife is still experiencing a lot of obstacles in the field, especially for midwives in disadvantaged areas. According to the Secretary General of IBI Yetty M. Leoni Irawan constraints faced by midwives in the rural sector is very diverse, ranging from lack of infrastructure, socio-cultural factors, to geographical conditions.
"The culture of the people who entrust more non-medical personnel to complicate childbirth midwife to reach out to the community. Not only that, the community still has its own assumptions that are not medically justified" Yetty said on the sidelines of a press conference for the 2012 program Heroine Award Jakarta, Monday (17/12/2012).
He also explained, geographical conditions in remote areas often make the midwives having trouble. Sometimes, the midwives had to walk up to tens of kilometers to reach the residence of patients due to poor road access and can not be passed by vehicles.
"Especially in the mountains, when the rainy season can not be skipped, while some mothers would give birth. Mother could not go down, the midwife could not get up," he said.
Another obstacle often encountered are still many people who can actually afford, but still use the facilities of Delivery Assurance (Jampersal) in order to give birth for free. Yet this is precisely because it can overload the midwives Jampersal disbursement process is difficult and long.
"Jampersal only for those who really can not afford. Many people are actually capable but still made it difficult jampersal midwife. Fact, there was a midwife who had helped 67 people, but the funds are not liquid," said Yetty.
A number of constraints, further Yetty, should be addressed to facilitate the midwives in performing their duties in the area. Government through several relevant ministries should coordinate to provide adequate facilities for midwives. In addition, the awareness of citizens that can be improved further so that they no longer use the facility Jampersal of government.
Sources: http://health.kompas.com/read/2012/12/17/21375458/