According to a report released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 73 countries suffer from a number of midwives extremely insufficient. Produced in collaboration with the International Confederation of Midwives, the World Health Organization (WHO) and their partners, the report recommends that new strategies be put in place to address this shortfall and save “millions of women’s and newborn lives.”
The 73 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America singled out by the report support 96% of global maternal deaths, 91% of stillbirths and 93% of neonatal deaths, the WHO reports. However, they only have 42% of the world’s midwives, nurses and doctors.
90% of essential care
“Access to high quality health care is a basic human right. Increased investment in the practice of midwifery is the critical way to make this right a reality for women everywhere,” said the Minister. Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA. A well-trained midwife can provide almost 90% of essential care for mothers and newborns. They can reduce the number of maternal deaths and neonatal, according to the report’s authors.
The recommendations of the experts cover such issues as the provision of preventive and maintenance care by a midwife, immediate access to emergency services if necessary and the completion of post-secondary education. “From a broader perspective, women must delay the age of marriage, have access to healthy food and receive four antenatal care visits,” says the WHO.
