The Minister of Health, Marisol Touraine, on Wednesday launched a national information campaign on the role and recently expanded skills of midwives.
In order to make the French men and women aware of the diversity of the missions of midwives, Marisol Touraine, Minister of Health, launched on Wednesday a national information campaign on the role and skills, recently enlarged, of these professionals. Practical and educational communication tools have been developed (1) around a central message, “5 years to become a midwife, a commitment to women’s health”. And the slogan chosen is original: “6 good reasons to consult a midwife”. Nearly 22,000 midwives work in France, 4,000 of whom are self-employed.
In a press release, the Ministry of Health first of all recalls that for many women, the intervention of midwives is often limited to monitoring pregnancy and giving birth. He underlines in fact that they are the ones who carry out 80% of normal deliveries in France.
Contraception and vaccinations
However, midwives do much more than that, he insists: “They ensure the follow-up of healthy women, can prescribe contraception, carry out certain vaccinations, intervene in the prevention of addictions, etc. “And thanks to the Health law passed in January 2016,” they can even practice voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion) drug and vaccinate those around women and newborns “, adds the ministry.
The national information campaign launched by the Minister will highlight all of these missions. And the resources allocated are substantial.
The poster campaign includes no less than 24,000 posters and 483,000 leaflets. They will be available from June 24 in family planning, family planning and education centers (CPEF), maternities, local perinatal centers, maternal and child protection centers (PMI), etc.
The ministry is also playing on a strong Internet presence. In detail, “banners will adorn the home pages of the main generalist and women’s media sites; and these banners will link to a dedicated “large file”, hosted on the website of the Ministry of Health, accessible here. Finally, an infographic, a “micro-sidewalk” video, as well as testimonials from midwives and patients, will be relayed on social networks to complete this system ”.
This major national campaign is in addition to the measures which, since 2012, have strengthened the place and role of midwives in our health system: creation of a medical status for hospital midwives, salary increases, reinforced training and attribution. new responsibilities in the organization and operation of hospitals, recalled the tenant of avenue Duquesne (Paris).
Marisol Touraine concluded: “A recognized, modernized, publicized midwifery profession means a more efficient health system and better protected French people. With this campaign, we are enabling everyone to better understand the richness and diversity of this profession ”.
(1) In collaboration with the midwifery unions and the National Council of the Order of Midwives
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