DILI, 09 february 2022 (TATOLI)–Timor-Leste through the Minister of Health (MoH) inaugurates Liquiçá BEmONC center of excellence to safeguard the health of mothers and babies – equipped with trained providers and medical and non-medical equipment to identify mothers at risk and provide good management — mothers in Timor-Leste have more reasons to smile.
While Timor-Leste has made great progress in improving maternal health, over 50% of mothers in the island nation still deliver at home risking their lives and those of their babies.
Similarly, lack of skilled birth attendants during pregnancy and childbirth is a big challenge in addressing Timor-Leste’s high maternal and infant mortality rates in the region — 195 per 100,000 live births maternal mortality ratio and 30 per 1,000 live births infant mortality rate.
Speaking during the official launch of the first Basic Emergency Obstetric and NewBorn Care (BEmONC) center in Liquicá municipality this week, Dr. Odete Maria Freitas Belo, Minister of Health, emphasized the government’s commitment to work with partners to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in Timor-Leste.
“We would like to thank our partners particularly UNFPA for the efforts to unify all partners to put their hands together to establish this BEmONC center.
“We will continue to collaborate with partners to ensure that we end maternal mortalities in the country. We want all child births in the country to happen in established health facilities,” said Dr. Odete Maria Freitas in a statement released to Tatoli today.
Since 2018, according to the press release, 118 trainees have benefited from Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) training facilitated by the Ministry of Health through National Health Institute (INS) with technical support from UNFPA.
Mrs. Domingas da Costa Pereira, The Director of National Health Institute, noted that through technical support received from UNFPA, health workers are now competent to serve mothers and babies in Community Health Centers and BEmONC centers.
“The Ministry of Health and UNFPA established a National Guideline. The National Health Institute with support from UNFPA also established the curriculum with an information package for doctors and midwives to reduce deaths during childbirth,” said Mrs. Domingas da Costa Pereira.
The BEmONC center of excellence was made possible by continuous generous contributions from the Australian Government to UNFPA through DFAT and PHD, and working closely with WHO, UNICEF, KOICA, HAI and Marie Stopes TL among other partners.
Dr. Manuel dos Santos Moruc, a beneficiary of the Emergency Obstetric and NewBorn Care training is confident to serve the community better.
“I am among five trainees from Liquicá Community Health Center who participated in 26 days of intensive training. In 2021, we attended 555 deliveries with no maternal death recorded in this Community Health Center. We thank our trainers, UNFPA and partners for their continued support to help mothers and newborn babies,’’ Dr. Manuel dos Santos said.
Timor-Leste still has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in Asia, and the majority of those deaths are preventable.
Mr. Ronny Lindstrom, UNFPA Timor-Leste Country Representative, stressed the need to strengthen the existing EmONC programme.
“UNFPA, in close partnership with the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Health, continues to strengthen the capacity of the health personnel nationwide on EmONC. We also provide the necessary medical and non-medical equipment to apply their acquired knowledge and skills – and by doing that, contribute to our goal of zero preventable maternal deaths,” said Mr. Ronny Lindstrom.
“We do hope that Liquiçá Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) center of excellence will be the first of seven more certified BEmONC centers to come with three more expected in the first half of 2022.”
Related news:Eleven trainees from MoH complete the comprehensive training on Newborn care by UNFPA
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafy Belo
