But despite their critical role, the UN’s support for midwife is under serious threat due to serious cuts in funding.
Each year, three -quarters of all maternal deaths occur in only 25 countries, most of them located in Africa south of the Sahara and South Asia, according to the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA.
Midwives are often the first and only respondents who provide life -saving care to pregnant women and their newborns in crisis settings where the risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth is doubled.
Financing cuts are now forcing UNFPA to scale down her support for midwife. In eight of the countries affected, the agency will only be able to finance 47 percent of the 3,521 midwives it intended to support by 2025.
On the front line
In times of crisis, women often lose critical access to vital motherhood services. Comes to rescue under the main circumstances and serve as a lifeline for pregnant women, “Midwives are saving lives,” said Natalia KanemCEO of UNFPA.
UN support for midwives in humanitarian environments includes training, supply of supplies and equipment and in some cases transport to mobile health clinics. All of this is having to be cut in the middle of the financing cuts.
“When crises frames and systems break up, midwives step up“Said UNFPA, marking the international day for the midwife.
Financing cuts
In the midst of a global shortage of almost a million midwives, rising death rates are reported among women and newborns in conflict zones and fragile contexts now after budget cuts.
“We are missing everything from blood bags to medicine. With the support of UNFPA and other partners, we can still provide services – but how long?“Said Fabrice Bishenge, director of Kyeshero General Hospital in eastern Dr. Congo.
Deaths during childbirth in fragile and conflict -affected surroundings now account for 60 percent of all maternal deaths globally. Worldwide, the deep financing cuts only aggravate this trend. In Yemen for example over 590,000 women of childbearing age is expected to lose access to a midwife.
Waiting room at a motherhood hospital in Herat Province, Afghanistan.
New initiative
In the light of the current funding crisis, UNFPA and partners recently launched the global midwife accelerator-a coordinated initiative to scale up the midwife-led care in countries with the highest maternal mortality.
The initiative indicates a cost -effective roadmap that focuses on saving lives and strengthening national health systems, even in the most fragile contexts.
UNFPA emphasized an urgent call for greater funding, education and advocacy for midwife, and emphasized that universal midwife-led health coverage could avert two-thirds of mothers and newborn deaths, reduce healthcare costs and lead to more productive workforce.
