#midwivesofnigeria

[stephanie-linus]

Did you know that midwives do more than just deliver babies? Did you also know that when trained and supported, midwives can provide more than 85% of all sexual and reproductive health services? Yes, midwives do all that and much more! The International Day of the Midwife (May 5th); a day set aside to celebrate the achievements of midwives and their contributions towards promoting Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health. Every year, over three hundred thousand women continue to die in pregnancy and childbirth globally. Also, an estimated 111 women and young girls die from complications of pregnancy and delivery, as Nigeria ranks one of the highest in maternal mortality amongst developing countries. Midwives can help prevent a majority of these deaths as well as provide life-saving care for newborns. When you think of the provision of contraceptives, or the management of a sexually transmitted infection, a skilled midwife can fill that role perfectly. But despite their very important role as the backbone of healthy families and communities, there is a wide shortage of midwives in Africa. It is time for us to fill that gap. We need to invest in the training and provision of facilities for midwives. Our policymakers should also implement better policies to provide an enabling environment for midwives to practice their profession. Africa needs more midwives to ensure quality healthcare for our women and children. I urge you all to join me in this campaign to end maternal and newborn deaths by supporting and advocating for #midwives! #MidwivesofNigeria #MidwivesDay #internationaldayofthemidwife. #unfpa