THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving standards and the welfare of midwives to avert preventable maternal deaths.
Speaking during the International Day of the Midwive celebrations in Harare on Wednesday, UNFPA country director Miranda Tabifor said investment in strengthening the skills of midwives was critical.
“Midwives play an even more critical role in climate change-induced emergencies and disasters ensuring safe pregnancies and deliveries is particularly challenging during extreme weather conditions and droughts caused by El Nino effects, during pandemics like COVID-19, disasters like Cyclone Idai and during cholera and typhoid outbreaks,” Tabifor said.
“Skilled midwives are the difference between life and death for many women and their newborns on a daily basis. UNFPA remains committed to ensuring safe motherhood by investing in midwives who can reduce 90% of maternal deaths.”
Swedish ambassador to Zimbabwe Per Lingarde said midwives were unsung heroes.
“Midwives are the silent heroes ensuring the health of mothers, newborns and families in Zimbabwe. Their dedication makes the critical difference between life and death. For this, they deserve heartfelt respect and recognition,” he said.
The State of the World’s Midwifery Report for 2024 highlights that investment in the midwifery workforce yields significant returns in terms of improved health and social outcomes.
Midwife-delivered interventions reduce mortality rates by about two-thirds.
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Speaking at the same event, President of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives Blessing Mapfumo said: “International Day of Midwives is a day of celebration and highlighting how important the day of the midwife is, it is also a call for action for our planet and also for midwifery.”
In a speech read on his behalf by deputy minister Sleiman Kwidini, Health and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora said midwives were a critical link to the lives of women and newborns.
“They are also sexual and reproductive Health champions. They partner and combine their efforts to influence favourable outcomes from pre-pregnancy right through to postnatal,” Kwidini said.
The International Day of the Midwife was established in 1992 by the International Confederation of Midwives to honour and raise awareness about the essential role of midwives.
The 2024 commemorations of the International Day of the Midwife in Zimbabwe running under the theme: Midwives: Vital Climate Solution underscore the importance of midwives in the healthcare system and creating resilient communities.
In Zimbabwe, statistics show that maternal mortality has reduced from 525 per 100 000 live births in 2012 to 362/100 000 in 2022.
This translates to deaths of 4 or 5 women each day.
