DURBAN MEETMidwives go miles to give 'life mantra'

Nurul Islam Hasib
bdnews24.com senior correspondent from Durban

Durban, June 18 (bdnews24.com) ? Hundreds of midwives from across the globe have walked 5 km along the Durban waterfront on Saturday in a clear call that 'the world needs more midwives now than ever to save mothers'.

They chanted, "I'll never depart from the golden rules, until I reach my goal, until he says well done, until she shakes hand?"

They danced and sang in the colorful walk with banners and flags, in an exciting show to share their commitment to help mothers deliver safely.

A Nigerian midwife Lare who joined the walk wearing a special T-shirt that read "Midwives Save Life", told bdnews24.com that "I am very proud of being a midwife".

"It's a very much humanitarian service. We can share the joy of a family."

She came to share experiences of other countries and "to be energised and feel better".

President of International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Bridget Lynch kicked off the walk, a day before the opening of their 29th Triennial Congress, saying, "We must be visible. We must join hands and work together."

"Midwives will be of same standards across the globe," she committed and called all to join in the effort.

She told bdnews24.com that midwifes should be 'visible' to improve maternal health and to decrease mortality.

She extolled Bangladesh's 'quick' progress in developing midwives. "What it (Bangladesh) needs is to continue its efforts to develop strong and high quality midwifery services."

"They will need global help. We (ICM) are helping the country."

Bangladesh government has handed over certificates to 59 nurses-turned-midwives after six months of extensive training on May 5 ? the International Midwifery Day.

To cut maternal deaths further from 194 per 100,000, Bangladesh has targeted to train 3,000 midwives by 2015, staffing them at sub-district health centres to provide round-the-clock services.

A separate comprehensive curriculum has been developed for the three-year diploma course starting from 2012 maintaining the international standards.

ICM's Asia Regional Midwifery Advisor Pashtoon Azfar told bdnews24.com that Asia was moving forward with midwifery issue, and added that Afghanistan could be a role model.

"Their (Afghanistan) midwifery education is very impressive and it's a very strong association," she said.

Azfar is optimistic about Bangladesh's development as well. "I am very hopeful. They started their association in August 2010, but progressed a lot in such a short time."

"I am very confident?to see their dedication," she said referring to her recent Bangladesh visit.

The walk was just an advocacy, the Afgan midwife said, "No mother should die because of pregnancy and giving birth. Mothers deserved to be saved."

Bangladesh Midwifery Association's president Halima Akhter said she was here to honour women. "I am representing Bangladesh midwives. We are no more lagging behind. We have already developed strategies to create more midwives."

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) that supports developing midwives in different countries observes, "Investing in midwives is a good investment for a country particularly for developing ones."

"They (midwives) are the best way forward to attain at least three millennium development goals ? cutting child and maternal mortality (4 and 5) and battling against HIV, malaria (6)," said Geeta Lal, coordinator, UNFPA Midwives Programme.

"But countries must follow the three key pillars of midwives ?education, regulation and association," she told bdnews24.com.

The state of the world midwifery 2011 report will be published on Monday in the five-day congress.

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