Banjul, Gambia - The State of the World’s Midwifery, 2011, Report, titled “Delivering Health, Saving Lives”, was launched in the Gambian capital, Banjul, Wednesday, nearly two months after it was launched by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Durban, South Africa. The report was launched at a ceremony, co-organized by the Gambian ministry of health and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country office in Gambia, and attended by UNFPA Regional Director for Africa, Mr. Bunmi Makinwa, who is in the country to assess the level of performance of the UNFPA-funded projects. Launching the report, the Gambian Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mrs. Fatim Badjie, quoted recent data as showing that 329,000 pregnant women could die while giving birth and three million newborn babies’ around the world could loose their lives, indicating that 98 percent of those deaths occur in developing countries.

“Every year, over 2 million women survive childbirth but with life-long debilitating conditions that ruin their lives and health. Deaths and ill-health happen largely because women have no access to functioning health facilities or the services of qualified health professional such as a midwives,” she said. “Midwives play a critical role in the delivery of health services particularly those relating to maternal and neonatal health.”

According to the Report, the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly the health-related MDGs, that is, MDG 4 - “Reduce child mortality” and MDG 5 - “Improve Maternal Health” cannot be attained without the services of the required number of midwives distributed equitably around the world.

However, it notes that achieving the MDGs therefore requires strong commitment at global, national and local levels with the full participation of individuals, families and communities.

The report pointed out that the availability of adequate numbers of well-educated and motivated midwifery workforce was a requisite to a functional health care delivery system.

The report, collected from 58 countries around the world, including The Gambia; said these countries collectively recorded 81 million births in 2009, equivalent to 58 percent of the world’s births. Furthermore, it said these countries combined disproportionately to account for 91 percent of the global burden of maternal deaths, 80 percent of stillbirths and 82 percent of newborn deaths.

It also highlighted, among other things, the triple gap: Competencies, Coverage and Access, urging governments to recognize midwifery as a distinct profession, core to the provision of maternal and newborn health services, and promote it as a career with posts at the national policy level.

To attain the MDGs, the report suggests massive investment in midwifery training, which, according to Mrs Badjie, has been identified by her ministry as a priority area.

She said her ministry was aware of and concerned with the shortage of midwives in the Gambia, particularly in the rural communities.

In view of this development, she said, the government was collaborating with development partners in implementing a multi-pronged approach in addressing the situation.

“These efforts currently being implemented by the ministry will not only increase the numbers of midwives in the country, but will also enhance their retention both in the profession and within the country,” she said.

“As we launch the report, let me assure that my ministry will do all it could to increase the number of midwives, ensure equitable distribution and put in place mechanisms for their retention.” 

Pana 19/08/2011