Need of skilled midwives stressed

Kathmandu, December 3

Women rights’ activists today said there was a need of midwives in the country to help women during pregnancy and childbirth.

Speaking at an orientation programme on safe motherhood and reproductive rights and midwifery services today in the capital, women rights activists spoke of the need for dignified maternity care and shed light on Safe Motherhood. Representatives of the local government and women rights’ activists shared their experience of giving births at the programme. Laxmi Tamang, president of Midwifery Society of Nepal, said, “If Nepal is committed to decreasing maternal mortality ratio, it has to produce skilled midwives in the country.” Well trained midwives could help avert maternal and newborn deaths, she said.

Illustration: Ratna Sagar Shrestha/THT

According to Nepal Demographic Health Survey-2016, fifty-seven per cent of women gave births at health facilities. “As there are many women who have not attended health centres for antenatal check-up and delivery, there is always risk of death of new mothers and children,” said Tamang. “Depending on its geographical variation and population distribution, there is a need of 9,000 midwives in the country,” said Tamang. Speakers discussed about midwives’ model of care, which includes monitoring physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle.

Activists also discussed about maternity violence and talked about reproductive rights of women. They also discussed the issue of women being forced to quit their jobs during or after pregnancy.

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