Chitika

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Midwives could cut maternal, newborn deaths by two thirds

The authorities at the United Nations Population Fund have said that with the right training and support, midwives could provide 87 per cent of the essential care needed for women and newborns, and could potentially reduce maternal and newborn deaths by two thirds.


This was contained in a report released on Tuesday by UNFPA, together with the International Confederation of Midwives, World Health Organisation and partners.

The report, entitled, “State of the World’sMidwifery 2014: A Universal Pathway —A Woman’s Right to Health,” states that major deficits in the midwifery workforce occur in 73 countries where the services are most desperately needed. It recommends new strategies to address the deficits and save millions of lives of women and newborns.


The Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, did not return the call made to his phone, and he did not respond to the short message also sent to him.The report reads, “The 73 African, Asian and Latin American countries represented in the State of the World’s Midwifery 2014 suffer 96 per cent of theglobal burden of maternal deaths, 91 per cent of stillbirths and 93 per cent of newborn deaths, but have only 42 per cent of the world’s midwives, nurses anddoctors.”


It urges countries to invest in midwifery education and training in order to contribute to closing the glaring gaps that exist.

Source: Punch

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