ATTRACTING AND RETAINING VILLAGE MIDWIVES IN INDONESIAN REMOTE POSTINGS: ‘SUCCESS CASES’ FROM WEST NUSA TENGGARA

Abstraksi

Accessing health professionals, such as village midwives, is essential reducing the maternal and child mortality rates. However, bringing midwives closer to the communities is not a simple task. Many factors contribute to the success of attracting and retaining midwives to remote postings. Yet, many of the programs only focus on a limited number of channels, such as monetary incentives, to influence workers’ behavior, and neglect other aspects. Thus, this study explores key success factors that influenced midwives to work and stay in remote areas of Indonesia, and the policies of the Government of Indonesia which influenced their attraction to such areas. A combination of the ‘Success Case Method’ was used as the methodology of my research. West Nusa Tenggara was chosen as the study location because it provided an excellent opportunity to examine the “success cases” and the “less success cases” which were determined based on the coverage of midwives from 2010-2014. This study revealed some unique factors. Economic stability attracted midwives to remote areas in both the ‘success cases’ and the ‘less success cases’. Community support played a major role in their retention. Cultural and religious beliefs constructed midwives’ viewpoints about their work and life in general, which influenced their motivation. Thus, this study suggested to implement “LIVE” approach: Local hiring; Investing in career options; Values and belief system; Evolution of midwifery training to attract and retain midwives to remote postings.