The tyranny of distance: maternity waiting homes and access to birthing facilities in rural Timor-Leste
Kayli Wild, Lesley Barclay, Paul Kelly & Nelson Martins
Volume 90, Number 2, February 2012, 97-103
Table 1. Population, expected births and data for health centres and maternity waiting homes (MWHs) in Lautem and Manufahi districts, Timor-Leste, 2007
| Population or health service | Lautem | Manufahi |
|---|---|---|
| District population | 67 465 | 43 949 |
| Annual expected births | 3070 | 2000 |
| Health centres in the district | 5 | 4 |
| Health centres equipped for births | 1 | 1 |
| Midwives at health centre | 7 | 7 |
| Physicians at health centre | 6 | 3 |
| Travel time to nearest referral hospital | 2 hours | 4–6 hours |
| Electricity | Generator (not 24/7) | Generator (not 24/7) |
| Radio | Not functioning in the year before the research | Yes |
| Ambulances | 1 | 2 (including 1 maternity ambulance from April 2007) |
| Date when MWH began functioning | January 2005 | February 2007 |
| Cost of MWH (building + equipment) | US$ 41 000 | US$ 60 000 |
| Monthly running costs for MWH | US$ 2745 | NA |
| MWH project funded by | Medicos do Mundo, Portugal | Red Cross, Monaco |
| Beds in MWH | 8 | 5 |
| Space for family to sleep in MWH | No | No |
| Kitchen for family to use in MWH | No | No |
| Food provided in MWH | Yes | Yes |
| Health education in MWH | Cooking demonstrations and health education held in the common room | Women advised individually about nutrition and family planning |
| User fees (MWH, delivery, medicine) | Free | Free |
| Criteria for admission to MWH | Women < 16 years or > 40 years of age; first birth; > 6 births; height < 145 cm; transverse lie or other malpresentation; multiple pregnancy; antepartum haemorrhage; severe anaemia or pre-eclampsia; documented 3rd degree tear in the past; previous stillbirth; prior delivery by caesarean section; desire for tubal ligation immediately after delivery; or history of delivery with heavy bleeding, convulsions, by forceps or vacuum. | |
NA, not available; 24/7, 24 hours 7 days a week; US$, United States dollar.