Local government innovation to support the achievement of sustainable development goals: Insights from Sanpiisan innovation in Kota Semarang.

Maternal and child health are part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Globally, the world is pushing to reduce maternal mortality to below 70 per 100,000 live births and to reduce infant and under-five years old children mortality rate to 12 per 1000 live births by 2030. However, maternal and child mortality rates in Indonesia remain quite high. Indonesia National Survey data show maternal mortality rate in Indonesia is still quite high at 305 per 100,000 population and the child mortality rate is 24 per 1,000 live births. In order to reduce maternal and child mortality rate, Indonesian government implements various policy interventions including by pushing local governments to create policy innovation in maternal and child health. SANPIISAN (Love and Care for Mothers and Children) is an initiative from Health Office of Kota Semarang to create an integrated system to carry out preventive measures to reduce maternal and child mortality rate in Kota Semarang. Given the success of SANPIISAN, this paper examines the mechanisms that sustain the innovation. In order to answer the question, the paper utilizes diffusion of innovation theory to analyse the diffusion and momentum processes of ideas within a specific social system. Methodology of the research is qualitative research and data are derived from interviews with main policy actors in SANPIISAN program (N=10). We argue that the success of SANPIISAN is supported by strong network among innovation adopters. The research contributes to the growing discussion in local policy innovation to support the achievement of SDGs. We conclude that SANPIISAN has proven to be one of the strategic and effective efforts that has significant leverage for the prevention of maternal and child mortality rates in Kota Semarang. Moreover, the program has been acknowledged as one of good practices in local government initiatives to reduce maternal and child mortality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]