Nurses demand reform to midwife education

Nurses and midwives have demanded that Nigerian government increase investment in education of midwives to ensure “there are enough qualified midwives to care for all women and children.” The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) declared on the International Day of Midwives in Abuja that it wanted an increase in number of students […]

Nurses and midwives have demanded that Nigerian government increase investment in education of midwives to ensure “there are enough qualified midwives to care for all women and children.”

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) declared on the International Day of Midwives in Abuja that it wanted an increase in number of students admitted for training in schools of midwifery around the country.

NANNM president Margaret Akinsola said, “Investment in midwifery education could yield a 16-fold return on investment in terms of lives saved and costs of Caesarean sections avoided.”

The association wants “automatic absorption” of new graduates from midwifery schools as well as training for community midwives.

It has also demanded that midwifery schools be renovated and equipped.

It comes as the United Nations Population Fund donated anatomical models to 11 midwifery schools around the country, bringing the number of schools getting support for training equipment to 25.

In a message commemorating International Day of the Midwife, UNFPA executive director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin said, “Strong political commitment and investment in midwives is needed to save millions of lives every year.”

“Today and every day, we need to close the gaps in providing universal sexual and reproductive, maternal and newborn healthcare,” he added.

“Maternal deaths have dropped by nearly 50 percent, down from an estimated 523,000 in 1990 to some 289,000 at latest count,” said Osotimehin.

“But while this progress is welcome, it is not enough. Today, nearly 800 women continue to die every day from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. We must do more. And we must start with training and providing more midwives.”

In its State of World Midwifery Report, the UNFPA projects Nigeria could lose up to 100,000 midwives by 2030 due to outflow from attrition, death and retirement, if nothing is done to replenish the number of midwives in service.

UNFPA has pledged continued support for midwifery schools to help train some 15,000 midwives around the world.