The maternal mortality rate in Indonesia reaches up to 10,260 people per year or 855 people per month. Currently, maternal mortality is recorded at 228 per 100,000 live births. In the upcoming year of 2015, the government is targeting the maternal mortality rate to drop to 102 per 100,000 live births. To achieve these targets, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), work together with Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in a program to decrease maternal mortality rate in Indonesia. The statement was raised in the meeting of the Head of BKKBN, Dr. dr. Sugiri Syarief, M.P.A, with Senior Vice-Rector for Education, Research and Community Service UGM, Prof. Dr. Retno Sunarminingsih, M.Sc., Apt., on Friday (2/7).
Prof. Sunarminingsih conveyed that the cooperation would be conducted in the form of field research and community empowerment through KKN PPM programs. This cooperation is also to support four main programs implemented by BKKBN, including family planning, adolescent reproductive health, fostering family resilience, and economic empowerment of the family. "The four programs could not be done by the BKKBN single-handedly as reaching the deeper parts of society is extremely difficult. The BKKBN request UGM to cooperate because UGM has a community empowerment and research program," she said.
It is admitted that decreasing maternal mortality rate is not easy because it is related with the low economic and education level in rural communities. "Most of them who have many children are the ones with low educational level, both in the villages and towns. Birth control counseling socialization through improving the improvement of welfare and education level needs to be done," she said.
Seen present in the meeting, the Senior Vice Rector for Administration, Finance, and Human Resources UGM, Prof. Ainun Na'im, Ph.D., Chairman of the LPPM, Prof. Dr. Ir. Danang Parikesit, M.Sc., and Secretary of the LPPM, Dr. drh. Wisnu Nurcahyo.