Aceh Singkil, a remote regency in Aceh province, has won recognition in the 2015 UN Public Service Awards for its success in fostering partnership between traditional birth attendants and midwives to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
The regency bordering Dairi regency in North Sumatra took second place, after India and Korea, in the category of improving the delivery of public services in the Asia and Pacific region “Under strong cooperation in the partnership program since 2012, the mortality rate of 18 in 2012 dropped to one in 2013 and zero in 2015. We hope the international award will encourage us to give more service in the health and education fields,” Aceh Singkil Regent Safriadi Manik said in Medan, North Sumatra, on Monday.
He said that with the partnership program, traditional birth attendants played a role as spiritual assistants to expectant mothers while midwives and doctors focused on giving technical assistance during delivery.
The team involved in the partnership program has been invited to attend the international public service forum and accept the award in Medellin, Columbia, on June 23-26.
//thejakartapost.com
