UNAIR NEWS– As a continuation of education cooperation between the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Obgyn) 51¶¯Âþ-RSUD Dr.Soetomo Surabaya with Adelaide University-Australia.The Department of Obgyn has just received the visit of an expert in the field of Obstetrics named Dr.Mohammad Afzal Mahmoodin MB, BS, MPH, Ph.D. It took place in the Hall of, May 5. This event was the the last event from Afzal’s four-day visit in Surabaya.
Afzal’s visit to Surabaya this time, besides attending several events such as Maternal Perinatal Audit, Maternal Mortality Focus Group Discussion, Afzal also had the opportunity to deliver lectures to Midwifery Undergraduate Program and Specialist Doctor Education Program (PPDS) students, as well as Obginsos consultant education.
Presenting an inspirational figure like Afzal in the event is certainly reasonable.Afzal is known to beconcernedin an effort to anticipate the case of maternal mortality or better known as MMR.
Maternal mortality in Indonesia, which is related to pregnancy, childbirth, is not decreasing.Dr.Baksono said the number of MMR incidents in East Java province ranks third largest after West Java which is in second place.In East Java alone, Surabaya is particularly the city with the highest number of maternal deaths, there were 38 cases of maternal deaths in 2015 and 37 cases of maternal deaths in 2016.
Various efforts have been made to reduce MMR.However, this effort is still regional and less targeted, so the result was lower than the expected.
So far, efforts to reduce MMR have also been made by doctors from the Department of Obgyn, such as by ‘pick up the ball’ method, these doctors made visits to areas in the Madura.They disseminate various programs of healthy pregnancy and provide counseling and check the pregnant women there.This kind of effort has been done as well by Afzal.
“Over the past 30 years I have worked for a large number of primary care and hospital care developments.For this program, I have worked with government health departments and non-governmental organizations in various countries including Pakistan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Myanmar, China and Australia, “he explained.
Since 1998, Afzal has collaborated with many departments and universities in Indonesia, such asUniversitas TrisaktiandIndonesia, which started in 2007, including with East Kalimantan provincial government, Health Agency of Tarakan District, Bulungan, Kutai Kartanegara, Balikpapan, Samarinda, Kutai Barat, to Paser.Afzal has even conducted research on 30 maternal deaths in East Kalimantan over the past eight years.
“The research explores deeply on factors related to maternal mortality from early pregnancy to death, and I hope that this research will provide the information needed by health staff, so it can develop a targeted and effective effort in reducing MMR in Indonesia,” he concluded.
Author: Sefya Hayu
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
