Australia Indonesia Partnership for Maternal and Neonatal Health (AIP MNH)

Estimated budget	Up to A$49 million over 4 years
Project Period	2008 - 2012
Counterpart Agencies and Key Partners	Ministry of Health; Provincial Health Office; District Health Office; Regional Planning Board (Bappeda)
Main Locations	Nusa Tenggara Timur Province (with anticipated replication to selected other Eastern provinces in later years)

Background

In Indonesia, and especially its eastern provinces, the health, nutrition and development status of women and children remains poor. High maternal and neonatal mortality rates reflect a high incidence of home births, which together with a limited access to quality maternal health services puts a large number of women and their babies at risk. While significant progress has been made on overall child mortality rates, the neonatal component remains poor with one third of infant deaths occurring within the first month of a child's life and approximately 80 per cent of these during the first week.

Nusa Tenggara Timur province has some of the gravest indicators in Indonesia for both maternal and neonatal mortality. Results of child and maternal health intervention programs in the province, to date, have been modest. Some key indicators for tracking maternal and child health outcomes have been static for the past several years, while others have even declined. The Government of Indonesia has signalled its commitment to address these pressing health issues, which will continue to inform Australia's ongoing engagement in the Indonesian health sector.

Description

The AIP MNH Program, which is due to be implemented from early 2008, will be mainstreamed through District government systems, with a strong emphasis on health systems strengthening and will aim to support District government's own planning and initiatives. This approach will involve AusAID providing technical and financial support for Districts to implement activities, with oversight provided by a Regional Health Coordinator based in Kupang. The Program will be closely linked with the Government of Indonesia's Healthy Indonesia 2010 plan and Making Pregnancy Safer strategy and coordinated with relevant activities of other key donors.

This page was last updated on 3 October 2007