Australia supports Ministry of Health to launch program to ‘connect mothers’ in Aileu District

Australia supports Ministry of Health to launch program to ‘connect mothers’ in Aileu District

13 March 2015

On Friday 13 March, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with Health Alliance International and Catalpa International, launched the successful ‘Liga Inan’ (Tetun for ‘connecting mothers’) program in Aileu district. The program is proudly supported by the Australian Government.
The launch was attended by Coordinating Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of Education HE Fernando La-Sama de Araújo and HE Vice Minister of Health Dr Ana Isabel Soares.

Liga Inan uses simple mobile phones to connect pregnant women with their local midwife. Pregnant women are contacted twice a week, via SMS, with health information, such as eating nutritious food, using mosquito nets, and getting rest. Pregnant women can also contact their midwife to ask questions, rather than travelling long distances to a health clinic. Midwives are alerted when a pregnant mother’s due date approaches, so they can call and check the mother and her family are prepared.
Through Liga Inan, health outcomes for women and babies have already significantly improved in Liquica and Manufahi Districts. For example in Manufahi District, the number of births delivered in a health facility has risen by 70%.

Aileu is the third District to implement Liga Inan. The Australian Aid is supporting the Ministry of Health to scale-up Liga Inan to all 13 districts, as part of our joint Health Program to improve health outcomes for Timorese women and children. Australia contributed AUD 860,000 for the implementation of the program in Liquica and Aileu in 2014-15

For more information visit : http://www.ligainan.org/