ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The UK Government and UNFPA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and midwifery stakeholders, launched the Midwifery Capacity Advancement for Equitable Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights (MARCH) project on 10 March 2025 in Jakarta.
The project aims to empower midwives as key agents in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Indonesia. Investing in midwives’ competence is critical to improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes as well as advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights (SRH & RR).
The MARCH project launch coincides with the Faculty Development Programme Training, which brings together 48 midwifery lecturers from selected midwifery education institutions, including health polytechnics, universities, and private schools. This training equips midwifery lecturers with the skills to deliver the international standard competency curriculum, fostering a cadre of competent and skilled healthcare professionals capable of delivering high-quality and evidence-based care. The Ministry of Health and UNFPA will upscale this training to all 37 health polytechnics with a midwifery study programme under the Ministry of Health.
A woman in Indonesia dies every hour from complications during pregnancy, birth, and post-delivery. Maternal deaths in Indonesia remain a high priority public health issue, with a Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 189 maternal mortalities per 100,000 live births (Long Form Population Census, 2020). Access to quality maternal health services is key to ending preventable maternal deaths.
Midwives are the backbone of maternal health systems who provide healthcare services, supporting childbearing women and their newborns, and ensuring safe birth for families in remote and hard-to-reach communities. More than 351,673 registered midwives across the archipelago (Ministry of Health, 2024) cater for 74% of antenatal care (ANC), 61% of deliveries, and more than 50% of family planning services. Midwives and nurses comprise Indonesia’s two largest healthcare workforce. Midwives are also expected to contribute to a broad range of health service provisions, including child health, family planning, and community well-being.
To further strengthen the regulatory framework, the MARCH project will also support the development of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) framework and training programmes for in-service midwives. This is with the aim to enhance midwives’ skills and promote their wellbeing, ensuring they are better prepared to meet the evolving healthcare needs of communities across Indonesia.
Mitra Kadarsih, member of the Indonesian College of Midwifery (ICoM) said, “Through the training we reflected and identified a few gaps, for which we sought the shared solutions, such as the ratio between students and lecturers, standardisation of student candidates, and capacity building opportunities for lecturers. We are committed to collaborate to fill the gaps because we need teamwork. And throughout the training we have been made to work in teams. All of the training methods are highly adaptable, so it is feasible for us to adapt it to the Indonesian context. We hope that it will help us become more confident and capable of passing it down and maintaining the quality. We will continue to work together so we can improve the quality of midwifery education in Indonesia so that we can achieve our dream of reducing maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in Indonesia.”
Yuli Farianti, the Director General for Human Resources for Health, Ministry of Health, said, “Midwives are key human resources that spearhead maternal health services. There are hundreds of thousands of registered midwives in Indonesia, but our maternal mortality ratio is still high. Therefore, we need to strengthen the capacity of midwives. We need to ensure the continuity of capacity development year by year. We need to adapt our curriculum with the international standard. I appreciate UNFPA’s support, and I hope that the MARCH project will benefit all of us. I hope beyond this project we will continue to do the work to achieve the goal of reducing maternal and infant mortality.”
British Charge d’Affaires Matthew Downing said, “The UK has a long-standing commitment to championing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights (SRH & RR), ensuring that every individual can exercise their fundamental rights in all settings. We are proud to collaborate with UNFPA and the Government of Indonesia through the MARCH Project as we work together in strengthening the capacity of midwives – one of the frontlines of healthcare services. Establishing a robust regulatory framework, alongside continuous professional development and quality education is critical to building a midwifery workforce that delivers evidence-based care aligned with international standards, ultimately improving health outcomes for women and communities.
As we celebrate the International Women’s Day, the UK government remains committed to working with its partners worldwide to empowering women from all walks of life and ensuring they receive equal treatment in many sectors including their reproductive health rights”.
Hassan Mohtashami, the UNFPA Indonesia Representative, said, “Pregnancy is the most joyful moment in the life of a woman, and the family. The death of a mother because of pregnancy is a tragedy. One is too many. Women should not die giving life. That’s the basis of addressing maternal mortality. There are three interventions to reduce maternal mortality: family planning, skilled birth attendants, and emergency obstetric care. We need competent, confident, good midwives to attend delivery. We are here to support, and we are grateful to our partners. The MARCH project is funded by the UK government to address midwifery continuous professional development and regulation. Hopefully, soon we will end preventable maternal deaths.” (AT Network)
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