Australian Ambassador to Indonesia visits aid programs in East Nusa Tenggara

The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Greg Moriarty, is in East Nusa Tenggara to view development programs funded by the Australian Government aid program (AusAID).

“Australia is committed to working with the Government of Indonesia in East Nusa Tenggara as it is a province with some of Indonesia’s highest rates of poverty,” said Ambassador Moriarty.

The Ambassador is visiting a health care centre in Pasir Panjang and viewing “Alert Village” program (Desa Siaga) in Naikoten II village, both supported by AusAID’s mothers and babies program.

“It is good to see the valuable work being undertaken to help reduce East Nusa Tenggara’s high incidence of maternal mortality. Since 2008, there has been a 20 per cent increase in women giving birth in safer health facilities rather than at home,” said Ambassador Moriarty.

“In the region, 97 health care centres have received staff training on handling emergency obstetric and neonatal services, and the Alert Villages program, which promotes community support for women to give birth in a health facility, is operating in 305 villages,” added Ambassador Moriarty.

The Ambassador is visiting the South Central Timor district hospital in Soe, one of the region’s 11 district hospitals participating in the AusAID-funded Sister Hospital program.

“This hospital is now better equipped to deal with emergency obstetrics and neonatal services thanks to training provided by medical specialists from a tertiary hospital in Surabaya. The sister hospital program is clearly effective and achieving results,” said Ambassador Moriarty.

In Kefamenanu, North Central Timor, the Ambassador is opening a resource centre built under AusAID’s decentralisation program.

“This centre will serve as an information and data repository for the district. Staff at the centre will provide information to public servants, civil society organisations, and members of the public, to help with better planning and allocation of local resources,” said Ambassador Moriarty.

Through AusAID’s rural program, farmers are being supported to increase productivity and yields. The Ambassador is meeting these farmers in Oenaen village.

While in the province, the Ambassador is meeting the Governor of East Nusa Tenggara, Drs Frans Lebu Raya, the Rector of Nusa Cendana University, Prof. Frans Umbu Datta, local Australian alumni and Australian volunteers.

Media Enquiries:
Mia Salim, Public Affairs, AusAID Indonesia, 0812 107 0237