May 04, 2012

Being Born in Indonesia

Ina Ana, 7 months pregnant, receiving her first loan from the group


A few days ago, only one week before delivery due date, Ina Ana was coming out of her house when she fell down. Her husband, the Kadus from Baturiti Desa, drove her immediately to the hospital in Praya. By the time they arrived the doctor said the baby girl was already dead. They are not sure whether Ina Ana fell because the baby had been dead in her womb for a few days, or whether the baby died because of the fall. This was the second child for Ina Ana and her husband.

If you are a woman in Indonesia the chances that you get pregnant while an adolescent are 45 out of 100 (Adolescent fertility rate @ 45,1%)*. Still only 57% of Indonesian women will use a contraceptive method (mainly the contraceptive injection), still well below the average of 76,9% contraceptive use in East and Pacific Region countries, where Indonesia is included.  If pregnant, most women will have at least one ante-natal visit during pregnancy (93%), however only 75% of them will be attended by a skilled professional at birth (vs. 91,9% for Region average).   Therefore Indonesian women have a higher risk of death at birth (240 out of every 100,000 live births, vs. 79 for the regional average). Although the fertility rate is well below the lowest development index countries, Indonesian women will have an average of 2,1 children (vs. 1.8 for the region), who will then have a 41% chance of making it after 5 years old (mortality rate below 5 years is 39%, well above regional 26%).

* All statistics source: UNDP 2011 Human Development Global Statistics


Lombok being part of the least developed province in Indonesia after Papua, Nusa Tenggara Barat has a low 65,2% HDI (Human Development Index), vs. 72.7% for Indonesia, (source Badan Pusat Statistik Indonesia 2010), one of the highest fertility rates in Indonesia, and one of the highest under five infant mortality death rate in the country. 

Bersahara is therefore considering initiating a basic health and maternal centre to attend these primary basic and important needs in Southern Lombok.