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http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=45220
Posted at 07:44 on 09 March, 2009 UTC
Radio New Zealand International

Maternal and infant mortality rates in Papua dreadful

The Australia West Papua Association says dramatic statistics about infant and maternal mortality emerging from the Provincial Health Department in Indonesia’s Papua are almost certainly wrong but highlight what is an alarming health issue.  Recent information released from the Department says that almost 40 percent of Papuan women die when giving birth with only 52 babies per 1,000 surviving birth.  But an article about health standards in Papua region published late last year by Australia’s Medical Journal puts the maternal mortality rate at around 1 percent, and the infant mortality rate at up to 15 percent, with a further 3-5 percent of children dying before the age of five. 
However the Association’s Dr Anne Noonan says these rates are among the worst in the world.

    “Those figures from the Australian Medical Journal are erring on the conservative which is… probably better to err on the conservative which is provable than exagerrate which then always leaves your whole question open to exagerration. But they’re still dreadful figures.”  Dr Anne Noonan says the implementation of basic health services and acceptable sanitary condition could help address outbreaks of diarrhoea and cholera in Papua region.  She says there’s a direct link from treatable diseases and malnourishment to the alarming infant and mortality rates in the remote region.

    “That’s probably one of the reasons that kids are so run down. their mother’s are anemic. Then you’ve got parasite infestatinos, mosquitoes, worms, all that sort of stuff. Then you’ve got the lack of vaccinatinon and it all has a terrible pull-down effect on the mortality of the children.”

Rob Wood said:

Woah, I didn't know it was that bad.

I hope some people are really bad at math.  This just doesn't sound right.

There are other issues besides health care that might be impacting the situation in West Papua too…

Case in point:  http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=894&Itemid=2

Thousands West Papua Demand Free For West Papua
Jayapura, [opeem]

Thousands West Papua People joined West Papua National Committee [KNPB] demonstration in demand Free West Papua in Jayapura, West Papua today.
Indonesian police force blocked West Papua people in Expo Waena, but after negotiating with the local police chef, thousands of West Papua who came from every town and basic long march a long 11 kg. KNPB called the West Papua to having the time for praying and fasting for liberations of West Papua start from 26 Maret until 1 April 2009. All West Papua Fighting Organizations joined on this action Who has led by Victor F. Yeimo as the chairman of KNPB.
Source: http://opeeem.blogspot.com/2009/03/thousands-west-papua-demand-free-for.htm