Brief Summary
This consultation assessed the availability and adequacy of Human Resources for Health (HRH) for Post-Abortion Care (PAC) services in Indonesia, both at the national and regional levels. The study estimated the current and 5-year projected workforce capacity against the need for PAC services, providing critical evidence to support future HRH planning.
In early 2021, the Ministry of Health of Indonesia launched national PAC guidelines, outlining comprehensive service components including counselling, medical treatment, post-abortion contraception, referral care, and community engagement. The guidelines emphasized the importance of inter-professional care (IPC) and recommended safe methods for uterine evacuation (UE) — Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) and misoprostol — over sharp curettage, which is no longer advised.
Recognizing that successful implementation depends on the capacity of a multidisciplinary health workforce — including obstetricians/gynecologists, general practitioners, midwives, and nurses — this consultation highlighted the need for tailored PAC training programs. At the time of the study in 2022, a PAC training module and curriculum were under development, but data on workforce readiness and future training needs remained limited.
This mixed-method study addressed that gap, providing insights into the current provision of PAC services, the professionals involved, and the requirements for HRH training to expand access and improve the quality of PAC services across Indonesia.