Innovations to Improve the Quality of Maternal and Child Health Services in Bantaeng Regency

Abstract

In Indonesia, efforts to improve the health status of mothers and children are prioritized. This is because maternal and child health problems persist as significant challenges in the health sector. In the Bantaeng regency, since 2019, there has been a decrease in the number of high-risk pregnant women, an increase in the percentage of infants who receive complete basic immunization, and a decrease in the number of toddlers with malnutrition status. This study aimed to analyze the strategies taken by the Bantaeng regency government to improve the quality of health services for mothers and children. The results showed that Bendera Saskia innovation succeeded in reducing the number of high-risk pregnant women, increasing the percentage of infants receiving basic immunization, and reducing the number of toddlers with malnutrition status, as measured by the public service indicators proposed by Levine (2015), namely responsiveness, responsibility, and accountability. The qualitative research method used included conducting observations, in-depth interviews, and document reviews. This led to the conclusion that Bendera Saskia innovation has become a strategy of the Bantaeng regency in improving the quality of health services for mothers and children. In addition, Bendera Saskia innovation can also be categorized as sustaining innovation because it can bring change and has been replicated in several other community health centers in the Bantaeng regency area.
 Keywords: public innovation, service quality, sustaining innovation