MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Gallus
Women in Eastern Indonesia will have safer pregnancies and deliveries as a
result of a new Australian funded maternal health program, the Parliamentary
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Chris Gallus, announced today.
'Certain districts in eastern Indonesia have some of the highest maternal and
infant mortality rates in South East Asia, with one woman dying for every one
hundred births,' Mrs Gallus said.
'The $6 million program aims to develop the skills of health professionals,
including midwives, to enhance quality obstetric care and services in maternal
and neonatal health.
'The program also aims to increase community awareness and knowledge of
pregnancy and care during delivery and build on an earlier AusAID Safe
Motherhood program,' Mrs Gallus said.
'Australia is supporting Indonesia's efforts to meet the Millennium
Development Goal of reducing the maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters
before 2015.
'Improving the quality and accessibility of health care, especially in the
poorer provinces, is a critical part of our cooperation program,' Mrs Gallus
said.
'The program will operate in nine districts in the eastern provinces of Nusa
Tenggara Timur and Papua and will be managed by UNICEF and the Indonesian
Government.
'Australia's development cooperation program with Indonesia has increased by
$9 million in 2004-05 to an estimated $161 million,' Mrs Gallus said.
Media contacts:
Shane Fairlie (Office of Mrs Gallus) 02 6277 4840 or 0408 680 442
Dominic Morice (AusAID) 02 6206 4220 or 0417 683 126