Down-to-earth Approach as A Sociological Solution: Learning from Ineffectiveness of Maternity Waiting Home Implementation in Wonogiri, Indonesia

Abstract

A maternity waiting home is a health facility that is considered helpful in preventing maternal deaths. The service aims to be a transit place for pregnant women to get primary health services. Due to geographic reasons, there is a waiting house for births—many cases of successful implementation of maternity waiting homes in various developing countries, especially in African countries. As a developing country, certain regions in Indonesia have implemented the service in imitation of the successful implementation of other countries. However, the implementation is not entirely effective. This study explores the root barriers in the implementation of the service from a sociological perspective. This study uses a qualitative research method with a case study approach. The data were collected through literature study, observation, in-depth interviews, and FGD. The results of this study were that various factors were found that caused the implementation of the maternity waiting home to be ineffective. Using a sociological analysis, the top-down policy of the maternity waiting for home is a significant factor in this ineffectiveness. This paper presents a concrete solution that uses an approach to emphasize the aspirations and needs of the community as a foundation in the implementation of this service.