On International Day of the Midwife (May 5th), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) lauded midwives as indispensable frontline healthcare providers, praising their dedication and resilience in the face of adversity. A statement from UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem, read by Deborah Tabara (Gender/Reproductive Health Analyst and State Programme Officer, Bauchi) at an event in Bauchi State, Nigeria, highlighted their critical role. The event, held at the Aliko Dangote College of Nursing Sciences, focused on the theme: “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis.”
Dr. Kanem’s statement emphasized the unwavering commitment of midwives, stating, “They often navigate challenging and dangerous conditions to deliver essential services that save lives and protect health and human rights. In humanitarian crises, maternal mortality rates double.” She stressed the importance of integrating midwives into disaster response plans as a cost-effective strategy to reduce preventable maternal deaths.
According to Dr. Kanem, midwives provide approximately 90% of crucial sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn healthcare services, encompassing family planning and support for survivors of gender-based violence—a significant issue that intensifies during crises. Despite these immense contributions, Dr. Kanem acknowledged that the profession remains undervalued.
The UNFPA Executive Director addressed the critical issue of underfunding in the midwifery sector. She stated that inadequate training, insufficient resources, and low compensation create significant barriers, worsening during emergencies. Recent funding cuts to humanitarian aid further exacerbate the problem, with alarming increases in maternal and newborn mortality rates reported in conflict zones and fragile states—regions accounting for over 60% of global maternal deaths.
Dr. Kanem emphasized the potential impact of investing in midwifery, stating that it could prevent two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths while yielding substantial economic and social gains. She urged governments and donors to participate in the UNFPA’s Midwifery Accelerator Initiative, designed to increase financial and programmatic support for midwives and the systems supporting them. Dr. Kanem concluded with a powerful message: “Midwives save lives. Let us collaborate to address the global shortage of nearly one million midwives and eliminate preventable maternal deaths.”
