[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Since 2023, the IPAS Indonesia Foundation has been collaborating with the government of East Nusa Tenggara to reduce the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and increase access to contraception or Family Planning (FP). This collaboration was established through the Joint Commitment for Women’s Health in Nusa Tenggara (TAKENUSA) project. The project is implemented in three districts: Kupang, South Central Timor, and East Flores. <\/p>\n
In June 2025, the IPAS Indonesia Foundation team met with Iwan Martino Pellokila, S.Sos., Head of the Public Health Division at the NTT Provincial Health Office. At his office located on Jalan Pulau Indah, Kupang City, we discussed the condition of women’s health in NTT. We also wanted to understand how the TAKENUSA project contributes to the issues of MMR and FP. <\/p>\n
Good afternoon, Mr. Iwan, how are you? Could you please tell us about your daily activities as the Head of the Public Health Division (KesMas) at the Health Office? <\/strong><\/p>\n Regarding daily activities, as the Head of the Public Health Division, I am naturally involved in matters related to public health in general. For instance, today’s topic is about APK or Post-Delivery Care (red: Miscarriage<\/em>). This also needs attention from everyone. <\/p>\n If I may ask, could you tell us about your career path leading to your current position as Head of the Public Health Division? <\/strong><\/p>\n Regarding my time at the NTT Health Office, I joined in 2017. Honestly, I do not have a health background; I come from a government administration background. My early career was in the Bureau of Government. However, in 2017, I transferred to the Health Office. At that time, there was a Division of Population and Civil Registration, where I was assigned. Due to a merger, this division, which was originally part of the Bureau of Government, was transferred to the Health Office. That marked the beginning of my career when I entered the healthcare sector. Subsequently, on January 1, 2021, I was appointed as the Acting (Plt) Head of the Public Health Division. This acting role continued until May 28, 2021, when I was officially inaugurated. <\/p>\n As the Head of the Public Health Division, what is the actual picture of the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Family Planning (FP) situation in NTT Province? <\/strong> <\/p>\n So, generally speaking about Family Planning (FP) services, including Post-Miscarriage Care (APK), according to the data we have, the issues of family planning and APK itself are still significant challenges for us in NTT. This is evident, for example, in the persistently high maternal and infant mortality rates in NTT Province. What does this mean? These figures actually indicate that access to health services, particularly those related to family planning and APK itself, needs to be promoted to become truly optimal services, so that in the future, we hope to see a quite significant reduction in these figures, for example, for maternal and infant mortality rates in NTT Province. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/ipasindonesiad.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Dinkes_NTT2-1.png” alt=”Man in uniform working at desk” title_text=”Dinkes_NTT2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n What are the actual challenges in reducing the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and increasing access to Family Planning (FP)? <\/strong> <\/p>\n Well, when discussing challenges, we must certainly consider how the community can access health facilities. It’s a bit different from the conditions, for example, in Java. Java is mostly a mainland province, whereas we are an archipelago. So, this naturally presents its own obstacles and unique challenges. However, given our current situation, we cannot deny that there is still a need to improve the competence and capacity of existing healthcare workers (nakes). That’s one point. Secondly, the availability of human resources who already possess the competence to handle these matters. <\/p>\n Especially if we talk about APK or Post-Miscarriage Care today, this needs to be continuously improved because, looking at the available data, the incidence of APK is still quite high. So, if we connect the dots with the existing data, we certainly need personnel who are capable of performing the intended APK management according to existing SOPs. This way, issues of morbidity, and maternal, infant, and child mortality can naturally be suppressed or minimized. <\/p>\n Are there other challenges? <\/strong> <\/p>\n Regarding infrastructure, our infrastructure is also very limited. When talking about community health centers (puskesmas) or primary healthcare facilities, we already have 440 puskesmas. However, this number is not yet accompanied by an adequate number of healthcare personnel required for a What efforts have been made by the Health Office to address these challenges? <\/strong> <\/p>\n When discussing the actions taken by the Provincial Health Office, we certainly cannot deviate far from the authority vested in the provincial government. The authority of the provincial government involves supervision, monitoring, evaluation, and capacity building. This is the primary role of the provincial government, in this case, the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Health Office, to enhance capacity and competence, especially among midwives. So that in the future, issues related to reproductive health should, or at least can, be minimized. <\/p>\n So, what about the TAKENUSA project? <\/strong> <\/p>\n Well, I am certainly pleased with the presence of the IPAS Indonesia Foundation and its TAKENUSA program. Indeed, this program is quite good and has a positive impact on reproductive health issues, especially post-miscarriage care. <\/p>\n The positive impact I feel from the training sessions facilitated and initiated by the IPAS Indonesia Foundation adds to the experience and provides additional references for healthcare workers, especially midwives, for services in health facilities.<\/p>\n What visible impacts has the TAKENUSA project had?<\/strong><\/p>\n So, if we talk about the direct impact, the immediate impact, we see that the IPAS Indonesia project is currently in three districts and Kupang city, and indeed, visually, we cannot see significant changes. However, if we look at the level of participation or activity of mothers giving birth in puskesmas or other health facilities, it shows a quite significant impact.<\/em> <\/p>\n Our hope for the future is that programs like the ones currently initiated, not only in these three districts, can be further expanded, perhaps with other programs also related to reproductive health.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Since 2023, the IPAS Indonesia Foundation has been collaborating with the government of East Nusa Tenggara to reduce the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and increase access to contraception or Family Planning (FP). This collaboration was established through the Joint Commitment for Women’s Health in Nusa Tenggara (TAKENUSA) project. The project is implemented in three districts: Kupang, South Central Timor, and East Flores. In June 2025, the IPAS Indonesia Foundation team met with Iwan Martino Pellokila, S.Sos., Head of the Public Health Division at the NTT Provincial Health Office. At his office located on Jalan Pulau Indah, Kupang City, we discussed the condition of women’s health in NTT. We also wanted to understand how the TAKENUSA project contributes to the issues of MMR and FP. Good afternoon, Mr. Iwan, how are you? Could you please tell us about your daily activities as the Head of the Public Health Division (KesMas) at the Health Office? Regarding daily activities, as the Head of the Public Health Division, I am naturally involved in matters related to public health in general. For instance, today’s topic is about APK or Post-Delivery Care (red: Miscarriage). This also needs attention from everyone. If I may ask, could […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3090,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[167],"tags":[],"topic":[],"class_list":["post-3086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3086\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3086"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipasindonesia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=3086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}puskesmas<\/s>. <\/p>\n