KATHMANDU, MAY 04 -
Chirning out a sufficient number of midwives could help reduce Nepal’s maternal and infant mortality rate, midwives working in Nepal said on Tuesday.

Midwives across the country will celebrate the International Day of the Midwife on Wednesday.

In a statement issued here, the Midwifery Society of Nepal said the country is reeling under an acute shortage of midwives in rural areas where pregnancy related services are scarce in the absence of health posts.

“Every 15 minutes, four women die due to childbirth complications,” the statement read. “Nepali women need more midwives to save their and their babies’ lives,” it added.

Midwives are health care professionals who enable women to give birth safely. They ensure the safety of the mother and the child using available tools and techniques.

According to Nepal Demographic Health Survey, only 19 percent of the childbirths is attended by Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs). More than 81 percent women give birth at home, and only 8 percent of the 81 percent are assisted by nurse-midwives.

The government has recognised the need to train professional midwives. It has also set a target for achieving the Millennium Develo-pment Goals that demands that 60 percent of deliveries be attended by SBAs by 2015.

For this to happen, around 5,000 more midwives are needed by the year 2012.

Posted on: 2010-05-05 09:00

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