Government to exempt the poor from baby delivery cost

The Ministry of Health has allocated Rp 1.45 trillion (approximately US$161 million) to cover medical fees of women from lower-income families who give birth to their babies.

Health Minister Endang Sedyawati said Friday the policy, effective in 2011, was aimed at curbing maternal mortality rate in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals.
 
The government, Endang added, will provide the service free of charge to women who deliver their babies with assistance from midwives, or doctors at community health centers or hospitals. The free hospital service is given to either normal or caesarian births.

Endang added that the government would focus on women who lived in remote villages, where maternal mortality rate is considered high.

“In the future, there must be no more babies withheld at clinics or hospitals only because their parents cannot afford to pay delivery fees,” Endang said as quoted by Antara news agency.

A ministerial regulation to implement the policy is expected to be ready next month to give the ministry enough time to familiarize it before it comes into force.