Raeoa, December 13, 2024 (Média Democracia) – The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) launched quality emergency obstetric and neonatal services as an effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates. This activity was carried out at the Passabe Health Center, Raeoa, on Thursday.
UNFPA representative, Domingas Bernardo informed that pregnant women are at risk of maternal death if there is limited or no access to pre-natal care, delivery assistance by health workers, emergency obstetric and emergency care and services related to family planning.
“To prevent or reduce the risks I mentioned, the National Institute of Public Health of Timor-Leste (INSP-TL) has an important role to play in increasing the capacity of health workers, so that they can provide quality and dignified work to the community. On this occasion, I would like to thank all partners who continue to support the Ministry of Health in the field of training through INSP-31, so that health workers have access to very important trainings, such as emergency care for obstruction and neonatal,” said UNFPA representative, Domingas Bernando
She continued, today the KemON-B Health Center or commonly called the Passabe Health Center has been inaugurated, which is ready to finance health services for pregnant women and babies. This means that not only are there trained health workers, but also the facilities and infrastructure are adequate, there are managers who are able to maintain facility standards and continue to work together with the local government to ensure that pregnant women in the surrounding area can get services from this Health Center.
In addition, today certificates will be distributed to health workers who take part in the training called “Competency Based Training”, meaning that health workers who will receive certificates truly have clinical competence or ability through 26-day training, including a strict assessment process. This training is carried out in various ways such as theory, discussion, role play, case scenarios, demonstrations, practice with machines, direct service to patients at HNGV, with health workers who will receive certificates indeed having the ability and competence in managing and providing treatment for obstetric and neonatal emergencies with seven functions, such as the administration of third-phase parenteral oxytocin, uterine atony in pregnancy and obstetric shock in pregnancy, pregnancy infection with parenteral antibiotics, pregnancy for severe preeclampsia and eclampsia, post-abortion care – removal of products using a manual vacuum cleaner, manual placental removal, assisted delivery – pelvic delivery and extraction with suction, newborn resuscitation and handling of babies with complications (sick newborns).
On the other hand, the Deputy Minister for Strengthening Health Institutions, José dos Reis Magno, informed that pregnant women who are about to give birth should immediately come to the nearest health facility to receive dignified treatment for the health of the mother and for babies.
“Since the beginning of independence, the government has tried hard, we have made many reductions but still not much and we need more efforts, so in one municipality we made two maternity clinics to increase their capacity and the place must be rehabilitated to accommodate trained health workers so they can carry out their duties. The equipment for Kemon is very complete, when giving birth in a health facility the existing equipment is ready to support immediately, if the family only helps at home and then decides to go to a health facility after something bad happens then it is too late, so it is better to give birth in a health facility.” He said
He added that at the Passabe post there are two villages, such as Avane Village and Malelat Village, in Malelat there is one sub-village, such as Malelat and in Avane Village there are three sub-village, such as Harnanu, Passabe and Natuna, the distance from Oe-Cusse to the villa is 48 km with a population of more than one hundred people.
Reported by : Tomas
Picture by : Tomas