Topics & Events

The collaboration between the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Japan regarding Maternal and Child Health (MCH) in Indonesia started in early 1992 in Salatiga City, Central Java. Since then, multiple cooperation and collaboration have been conducted. Indonesia is one of the first countries in the world that officially introduced the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Handbook nationwide along with the Minister of Health decree No.284/Menkes/SK/III/2004 implementation. The book has been evolving and renewed every 5 years and the Ministry of Health also ensures the book is accessible for free in 34 provinces. The successful development of the MCH in Indonesia also makes Indonesia through the Ministry of Health become the host of International knowledge-sharing programs (KSP) in collaboration with the Ministry of State Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Government of Indonesia (GoI) together with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had acknowledged in organizing thirteen (13) times international training courses for strengthening the MCH handbook implementation, inviting 17 countries in Asia, Middle-East, and Africa with 201 participants since 2007. This program leads not only knowledge sharing but also results in the future strategy preparation stage for each country's specific issue in maternal and child health.

The technical cooperation project, "Project for Enhancing the Quality of Maternal and Child Health Program and the Implementation of MCH Handbook in the Era of Decentralization" under JICA Indonesia in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of State Secretariat, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organize the Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP) event titled "Enhancing the Quality of Care for Early Detection through integrated health check-up for mother and child using the MCH Handbook". This is the third international online KSP in MCH Handbook. The event was organized in Indonesia for the invited thirty-two (32) international participants delegated from Cambodia, Kenya, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, Timor Leste, Thailand, and also participants from Indonesia this year.

"We have the same concern for how we can strengthen the continuity of care for a mother and a child and to ensure the quality of maternal and child health services. We consider how we can ensure the quality of care in early detection of all citizen's health problems by utilizing the MCH Handbook. This program provides an excellent opportunity to share experiences among participating countries. We expect that all participants will explore the ways to strengthen early detection and early interventions to the critical health concerns in Maternal and Child Health using the MCH Handbook with special consideration to "leave no one behind " a pledge of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," said Okamura Kenji, Senior Representative in JICA Indonesia Office in his opening remark.

Through these three days of KSP, all participants exchanged knowledge and experience related to the MCH Handbook utilization on the integrated health check-up provision and implementation as the essential services to support early detection for identifying health problems for mothers and children across different countries. The participants were all keen to learn from other countries and we have seen very active discussions among participants prior to the event starting.

The MoH, precisely the Directorate General of Public Health through the Directorate of Nutrition, Maternal and Child Health, and JICA, is currently conducting pilot activities on the Little Baby Handbook (LBH) and the Integrated Child Health Check-up (ICHC). The project has completed the baseline survey for the pilot activities and now preparing for the end-line survey.

Through collaboration with the Ministry of Health, JICA will together move forward to improve the quality of maternal and child services. The KSP activity can be viewed on Official YouTube Channel of the Directorate of Nutrition, Maternal and Child Health, Ministry of Health: Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP) on Maternal and Child Health Handbook - YouTube (external link)

dr. Dante Saksono Harbuwono, Sp.PD-KEMD, Ph.D - Vice Minister, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia

Novianti - Head of Bureau for Technical Cooperation, Ministry of State Secretariat

Irvan Fachrizal - Acting Director for International Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Kenji Okamura, Senior Representative in JICA Indonesia Office

dr. Ni Made Diah PLD, MKM - Acting Director for Nutrition and Maternal, and Child Health, Ministry of Health

Tomoko Hattori - JICA Expert for Community Health

International participants from 8 countries