Mission, vision and strategy

What are we going for?
What do we stand for?
How do we make our dream come true?

Background

In Indonesia, about 60% of the population lives on Java (156 million). A third of them are between 0 and 14 years old (52 million). By way of comparison: this number of young children in Java is three times the total number of residents in the Netherlands. Mortality in this group is catastrophic: about 40% of Indonesian children die before the age of five. Low birth weight is an important factor in this. Of low birth weight newborns, 61% die within 90 days of birth.
The main reason for this is the lack of access to and availability of effective diagnostic methods. Early recognition and identification of growth and development disorders in the earliest stages of life enable effective therapy and prevention.
Restrictions in access are: insufficient priorities by the Indonesian and local government; lack of financial resources, both in the patient and in the hospitals and diagnostic centers; distance; transport problems and are unfamiliar with the possibilities.
Availability limitations include: unreliable registration; limited diagnostic resources; insufficient options for supportive care and palliative care; absence of modern diagnostic infrastructure and equipment and absence of skilled personnel.

High number of new infant deaths in the first year of life.
The number of laboratory staff is limited and so is their knowledge and skills.
Low survival rate within 90 days of birth.
Limited facilities for diagnostics, treatment and supportive care.
Lack of knowledge among healthcare professionals and the general public about symptoms.
Low chance of treatment and recovery of growth and development disorders in the earliest phase of life.
Large number of families with low socio-economic status.
Transport difficulties to reach healthcare facilities.

Developing database growth retardation.
Establish databases including banks of tissues, cells and body fluids.
Development of modern tools for diagnosis of growth retardation and underlying causes.
Workshops for the development and standardization of diagnostic protocols.
Training and educating professionals through on-site training and exchange visits.
Support in the development and application of diagnostic protocols.
Implementation of a structural information program for healthcare professionals.
Frequent teleconferences to discuss and advise on complicated syndromes of pregnancies.