Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – With a total of 202,309 across Indonesia, midwives dominate the health care sector in the country, compared to other health professions, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said.

"Midwives are very close to people. As many as 82 percent of antenatal care (pregnancy checkup before delivering) are carried out by midwives, 62 percent of deliveries are assisted by midwives, and 64.1 percent of contraception care are carried out by midwives," the minister said at a webinar in commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Indonesian Midwives Association on Thursday.

The minister highlighted that the role of midwives in the program to prevent maternal and child mortality as well as reproductive health should continue to be optimized because it is in accordance with the government's priority program to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in Indonesia.

"Our current policy is that antenatal care services should be given at least six times with two checkups by general practitioners, and deliveries by a team should be carried out at health care facilities to ensure that postpartum contraception care are provided to all mothers," said Budi, emphasizing that collaboration between medical doctors and nurses is a necessity.

The minister also appreciated the role of all midwives in Indonesia, especially those who work in such remote areas, as border areas and isolated islands.

Reporting by Indonesia Window