Globally, over 358,000 women die every year while pregnant or giving birth, which means almost 1,000 women die every day while millions more suffer infection and disability. About two million newly born babies die within the first 24 hours of birth and there are 2.6 million stillbirths.
In Zimbabwe, according to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey 2010/11, about 1 in 100 pregnant women die while pregnant or giving birth and 1 in 12 children die before his or her fifth birthday. One of the main causes for these tragedies is lack of access to maternity services, including the care of midwives or others with midwifery skills at childbirth.
In 2011, together with 28 partners, UNFPA and the International Confederation of Midwives launched the first ever State of the World’s Midwifery report, which showed that no healthcare system can be efficient and effective if it ignores the importance of midwives. The report provides substantial evidence that adequately educated, competent and resourced professional midwives are crucial to achieving MDGs 4 and 5.
UNFPA recognizes the role of midwives as key partners in the global effort to tackle maternal and newborn health and call upon governments, civil society, the private sector, donors and local and international non-governmental organizations to intensify investments in human resources for health, especially midwives.
In support of the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in Zimbabwe, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO are working towards strengthening midwifery education and training. We are also supporting the training of other health professionals in essential maternal and newborn care, including life-saving skills for emergency cases and ensuring the availability of emergency obstetric and newborn care, drugs and equipment.
