T

he government should partner with the private sector to help reduce the infant mortality rate, say development and health experts.

Erna Witoelar, a former United Nations ambassador in the Asia Pacific, said the private sector could help reduce neonatal deaths by allocating their corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets to campaigns to combat infant mortality and hospitals in need of special equipment.

"Private companies will support the cause if they acknowledge the importance of treating a newborn in the first weeks of their lives," she said.

Rinawati Rohsiswatmo, the chairwoman of a perinatal health unit concurred.

"Corporate social responsibility *CSR* could play a part in the fight against neonatal deaths. Hospitals are also screaming for help because treating a newborn is a financial strain," she said.

She added that regional authorities should also take responsibility by allocating a portion of their budget to the cause.

However, some of those authorities are still apathetic toward infant deaths in their own region.

"For example, state-owned enterprises could also allocate their CSR's budgets to the cause," Rinawati said.

Rinawati and Erna were speaking after a workshop in perinatology, which is a branch in obstetrics that deals with the treatment of mothers and newborns. The workshop was attended by doctors from various parts of the country.

"The number of neonatal deaths must be reduced," she said, adding that Indonesia's rate of neonatal deaths was among the worst in Southeast Asia.

Neonatal deaths across the country are predominately caused by asphyxiat, low weight at birth and infection.

Fatmi Sulani from the Health Ministry said the country should accelerate its fight against neonatal deaths as only a minor reduction had been achieved over the last few years.

"In the 2002-2003 period, the infant mortality rate was 35 deaths per 1,000 live births. In 2007, the number was 34 per 1,000. The number of those dying from neonatal causes was 20 out of 1,000 from 2002 to 2003 and 19 in 2007," she said.

The numbers dwarfed Indonesia's target of reducing the number of infant deaths to 23 per 1,000 and infant deaths from neonatal causes to 14 out of 1,000 in 2015.

The statistics were drawn from the Indonesian Health Demography Survey.

Erna said the alarming numbers called for immediate action.

"Imagine that each day a plane carrying 200 babies falls in the country," she said, illustrating the number of infant deaths based on a rough estimate of 2 million births each year.

Rinawati said this number could be even greater because the current birth rate might be more than the estimated 2 million.

Fatmi said the strategy to accelerate the reduction of neonatal deaths should include improving facilities, increasing budget allocation for the cause, as well as increasing public awareness.