CWS News

Poso - Church World Service Indonesia has just conducted a health and nutrition baseline survey in three sub-districts of Poso District, Central Sulawesi in October 2011. The findings show that 58% of the respondent children under-five were anemic (HB < 11 g/dl). According to World Health Organization, it falls into high prevalence category, therefore needs intervention to reduce the number of children with anemia.

Poso District is one of the three areas where CWS Indonesia is currently implementing Vitalita Program that aims to improve nutritional status of children under-five through sprinkled multivitamin and mineral, Vitalita, consumption as well as health and nutrition campaign.

During the training midwives were given opportunity to practice facilitating info session to mothers of Batalembah Village in Poso District. A total of 37 midwives participated in the health and nutrition training.
(Beno Peuru/ CWS Indonesia)

Strategies have been set up to implement the program. Building good relations and cooperation with the local Health Office, especially the midwives, is one of the keys to success. The role of midwives is important in the program implementation to assist the posyandu cadres monitoring the children's growth and development.

CWS held a four-day health and nutrition training for thirty-seven midwives from thirty-two targeted villages in Poso on November 28 to December 1, 2011. Started with result of baseline survey presentation, the training provided a great deal of information on health, nutrition, as well as on Vitalita, the fortified multivitamins and minerals.

Dr. Jein, the Head of Health Services Division of Poso District Health Office in her opening speech stated, "The Health Ministry strongly supports the Vitalita Program." A similar program had covered some areas in Indonesia, but Poso as Dr. Jein revealed. "Funding for nutrition-related program or activities is very minimum and there is no cost allocation for the cadres in Poso," she added. "Due to limited funding, we used to do it traditional way, no hemoglobin test. We saw the children's look to determine whether or not they are anemic," dr. Jein said.

The Health Office also highly appreciated CWS for the baseline survey that reveals the anemia prevalence therefore a follow-up can be conducted immediately. The result of the survey will also be used as a reference to plan the Public Health Service programs in the future.

Children growth and development also depend on parents' caring practices. Therefore the training also covered good caring practices. The participants practiced making healthy and nutritious daily menu for children underfive.
(Beno Peuru/ CWS Indonesia)

In the training the midwives actively participated. They used this opportunity not only to obtain knowledge and information but also to share their experience related to maternal and child health and as well as community's health habit and behavior. They were also introduced to a Vitalita flipchart that CWS develops to help the cadres and health officials to explain about anemia, nutrition, and Vitalita to a wider audiences, especially targeted mothers. Not only the theory, the participants got the chances to practice delivering info session in Batalembah Village of South Coast Poso District using the flipchart.

Meyni T. Andih -- the midwife of Dewua Village -- said, "The training was very useful to me as I gained knowledge and insight about maternal and child health and nutrition. I can also share experiences with fellow midwives and facilitators." "I hope in the CWS Indonesia coming program we can be more involved in every phase of activity," she added. Meyni also pointed out that she and her fellow midwives would benefit from another health and nutrition capacity building program to improve their service to the community.

The participating midwives committed to work hard together with cadres and the Family Welfare Assistance or PKK members to get parents and the children under-five join the activities and to improve nutritional status of the anemic children under-five. "Through this program we hope that the children in Poso can be more healthy and their nutritional needs are met. And, their growth and development can be monitored on a regular basis."