BKKBN Says Maternal Mortality Rate During The Pandemic Increases 10-fold

Head of BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo (Photo: bkkbn.go.id)

JAKARTA - Head of BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo said the death toll of pregnant women due to the COVID-19 pandemic was very high, even reaching 10 times.

According to data from the Indonesian Obstetrics and Gynecology Association (POGI), up to April 536 pregnant women in Indonesia were exposed to COVID-19, of which 16 people died or it is estimated that for every 1,000 pregnant women, 32 of them died. While under normal conditions there is no pandemic, the average maternal mortality rate is for every 1,000 pregnant women, approximately 3 die.

"So the number of maternal deaths during this pandemic is very high 10 times." Said the Head of the BKKBN, Doctor Hasto Wardoyo when he was present at the Declaration of COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Women at the DKI Jakarta City Hall, reported from the official BKKBN website, Friday, August 20.

According to Hasto, the chances of pregnant women getting COVID-19 are the same as other people, but if they are exposed to COVID-19 pregnant women have a three-fold higher risk. So vaccination for pregnant women is something strategic to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Present at the Declaration of COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Women were Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan, Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria, Director of Indofood Franciscus Welirang, Chair of POGI (Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology). Indonesian Gynecology) Ari Kusuma Januarto, and General Chairperson of IBI (Indonesian Midwives Association) Emi Nurjasmi.

Hasto conveyed his appreciation for the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government for the speed in vaccinating pregnant women since the Ministry of Health issued a vaccination permit on August 2, 2021.

"So far, 1,754 pregnant women have been vaccinated," said Hasto.

Furthermore, according to Hasto, BKKBN is one of the institutions assigned by the President of the Republic of Indonesia to accelerate vaccination, especially for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children aged 12-17 years through a family vaccination program.

The Ministry of Health and the BKKBN have also trained midwives to become vaccinators, the number being trained is around 50 thousand people. With the hope that later they can vaccinate all over Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto explained, since two months ago, the BKKBN was given the task of participating in the acceleration of vaccination for pregnant women with the consideration that the BKKBN has a large number of troops, because in October there will be around 7.1 million vaccines, so it requires a large number of vaccines. like independent practice midwives because they are around the community.

Airlangga Hartarto also emphasized that pregnant women have a higher risk when exposed to COVID-19, of course there is also a risk for the baby being conceived and also the doctor. According to him, the government at the end of this year also targets to be able to vaccinate 70 percent of the population.

Hasto added, starting today, the task of the Puskesmas is very heavy in addition to carrying out routine tasks plus handling COVID-19 and vaccinations. So if the independent practice midwife can help with vaccination, it will greatly support the acceleration of vaccination, besides that it can also reduce the occurrence of crowds.

On this occasion, Hasto also expressed his hope that the handling of stunting can also be carried out in a compact and cross-sectoral collaboration as was done in handling the pandemic.

"Stunting is no less important because stunting will leave an extraordinary mark regarding the quality of Indonesian Human Resources in the future," concluded Doctor Hasto.