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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, [email protected]

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has hailed the work done by midwives in improving child and maternal health services in Zimbabwe.

This follows the commemoration of the International Day of the Midwife, which falls on May 5 annually.

In a statement, UNFPA called for more investment in midwifery calling on the Government to continue training and creating an enabling environment for them to do their work.

A midwife is a trained and certified health professional in midwifery, who helps women during labour, delivery, and after the birth of their babies.

“Midwives are needed not only for delivery and new-born health care but for other sexual and reproductive health interventions such as contraceptive services, management of sexually transmitted infections, screening for cancers of the reproductive health and provision of adolescent sexual and other reproductive health services, said UNPFA.

“Because of their role in pre-pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery care, including management of complications of pregnancies they significantly contribute to the reduction in maternal mortality.

“Well-trained and regulated midwives in an enabling environment can deliver about 90 percent of essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, new-born and adolescent health (SRMNAH) care services and avert about two-thirds of all maternal and new-born deaths.”