DELI SERDANG – The U.S. Consul for Sumatra, Kathryn Crockart, joined senior officials of the Government of North Sumatra Province and Provincial Health Office to celebrate Indonesia’s Mother’s Day.

The celebration highlights the US. Government’s commit to support a stronger and healthier Indonesia through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) flagship Expanding Maternal and Newborn Survival (USAID EMAS) Program.

“USAID EMAS will help to ensure that staff at health facilities has the knowledge, skills, procedures and practices they need to deal with complications at childbirth,” said Kathryn Crockart, “so that more mothers can safely deliver their babies at the puskesmas.”

In support of the Millennium Development Goals, the USAID EMAS program aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Indonesia by improving the quality and referral to emergency maternal and neonatal services.

The five-year $55 million USAID EMAS program is implemented by JHPIEGO, Save the Children, and RTI International, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Muhammadiyah, and Rumah Sakit Budi Kemuliaan.  

The event was held at the Aras Kabu health center (puskesmas) , Deli Serdang District which was selected because of their success in saving women’s life. The community at Deli Serdang has positively benefitted from the strong partnership between U.S. and Indonesia in improving the health of mothers and new borns.

The USAID EMAS program is just one component of the U.S. Embassy’s health initiatives in Indonesia which demonstrates the breadth of U.S. engagement under the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership.