Can midwifery eliminate maternal mortality? Innovations from Indonesia
Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) affects 1 in every 6 women giving birth and is the leading cause of maternal mortality globally. Death from PPH is largely preventable and has been nearly eliminated in high-income countries, yet women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to be disproportionately affected.
While policymakers at national levels struggle with this problem, a group of midwives in a remote mountain village in Indonesia solved the problem and have sustained zero maternal mortality continuously since 2015. They achieved this remarkable accomplishment using simple innovations, at zero cost.
We interviewed Maya Hidayati, the head midwife who spearheaded the effort, together with Anna Kurniati, Director of Workforce Deployment at the Indonesian Ministry of Health.
