Investing in midwives to save mothers and babies

Midwives are essential to any nation's health system. They provide 90% of vital sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services. This includes family planning and support for survivors of gender-based violence.

Midwives often face significant risks to deliver care in remote areas. They travel through dangerous terrains, including rivers, to reach women and girls. Even during floods or infrastructure collapse, midwives are first responders.

Deploying midwives effectively is a cost-effective way to reduce maternal deaths. However, midwifery is not always recognized as a crucial profession. Midwives often lack representation in decision-making processes.

Chronic underinvestment leads to inadequate training and low salaries for midwives. This situation worsens during crises. Globally, there is a shortage of nearly 1 million midwives.

Recent funding cuts threaten humanitarian assistance for women and girls. Midwives report rising death rates among women and newborns in conflict zones. Over 60% of global maternal deaths occur in these fragile contexts.

In Ghana, UNFPA supports quality midwifery education through Centres of Excellence. Selected schools include Korle Bu Nursing and Midwifery Training College and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

UNFPA also aids faculty development and governance structures this year. They have collaborated with the Ministry of Health on the 3rd Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Plan (2024–2028). This plan outlines future development for nursing and midwifery professions.

In 2024, UNFPA trained 120 midwives in emergency obstetric care to improve services. They also supported 60 midwives in Long-acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARC).

Dr. Wilfred Ochan from UNFPA Ghana emphasizes the need to strengthen midwifery services. He believes investing in midwives protects families from preventable deaths.

He urges governments and partners to support the Midwifery Accelerator initiative. Together, they can increase investments in midwifery systems that save lives.

Midwives save lives every day. We must work together to address the shortage of nearly 1 million midwives globally. Let’s ensure their voices are heard in decision-making processes for better outcomes.