Governments called to improve midwifery conditions

What you need to know:

  • Former Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete is one of the 4,200 people attending the meeting.
  • It is estimated that through their intervention, 56 per cent of maternal, fatal and newborn deaths could be prevented out of million lives each year. However, urgent global policy reform and recognition of the profession by governments and donors is needed to help midwives achieve this.

Dar es Salaam. Maternal health stakeholders from across the world are meeting in Toronto, Canada to discuss the state of midwifery in the world.

Former Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete is one of the 4,200 people attending the meeting.

It is estimated that through their intervention, 56 per cent of maternal, fatal and newborn deaths could be prevented out of million lives each year. However, urgent global policy reform and recognition of the profession by governments and donors is needed to help midwives achieve this.

Speaking at the event former President Kikwete said raised an alarm on the statistics of the number of mother and children, who re dying.

“The number of women and babies, who die during delivery, is frightening, there is a need of urgent interventions because a mother is not supposed to die when giving life to another human being,” Mr Kikwete said.

International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Chief Executive Officer, Sally Pairman, said there are more than 500,000 midwives from 113 countries across the world.