Gorontalo – UNG's Faculty of Medicine is preparing to establish a Bachelor's Degree Program in Midwifery. The presence of this program will make UNG the first state campus with a study program in Eastern Indonesia.

Acting Dean of the UNG's Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Dr. Cecy Rahma Karim, Sp.GK., during the Medical Faculty Work Meeting on Friday, January 5, 2023, said that midwives are one of the health workers in the health system.

"Midwives play a strategic role in reducing the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Family Planning (KB) services in an effort to improve the quality of life of women and to fulfill individual (community) rights to arrange their reproductive lives, as well as to improve community welfare, especially women and children," she explained.

Cecy believed that the presence of the Midwifery Program at UNG woulf be helpful to overcome health issues, especially in the Tomini Bay area, which is UNG's focus as "The Engine of Tomini Bay."

"The vision of UNG's Bachelor's Degree Program in Midwifery is to produce professional and competent midwives in handling emergencies for women during the reproductive cycle based on Continuity of Care (CoC) in the Eastern Indonesia Region," she stated.

Cecy continued that UNG has been well-prepared to open this program as the campus has quality human resources and facilities that would support the teaching and learning process. Even UNG's lecturers with doctoral qualifications were ready to take part to run the program.

"The establishment of the Bachelor's Degree Program in Midwifery as part of the Faculty of Medicine was recommended by the association for universities with medical faculties. In terms of human resources, the UNG's Faculty of Medicine also has Ob-Gyn Specialists (Sp.OG) and Pediatric Specialists (Sp.A) as well as Nutritionists.

Cecy also added that the challenge of the stunting crisis in Tomini Bay required quality human resources, and the UNG's Faculty of Medicine would pioneer it.