The Unsung Heroes of Emergency Care

In the chaos of crises, from natural disasters to armed conflicts, healthcare systems often crumble. Yet, the need for essential services like maternal and newborn care doesn’t disappear; it intensifies.Midwives step into this void, frequently acting as the first and onyl point of contact for pregnant women and newborns in the most perilous and inaccessible regions.

Crises Amplify the Need for Midwifery

While the world grapples with conflict and disaster, the demand for contraception, prenatal check-ups, and emergency obstetric assistance surges. tragically, women in crisis zones face double the risk of mortality during pregnancy and childbirth due to limited access to quality sexual and reproductive health services. Despite facing resource scarcity and personal risks, midwives demonstrate unwavering dedication.

This year’s International Midwives Day theme, midwives: essential in each crisis, rightly acknowledges their pivotal role as cornerstones of emergency response.

A Profession Overlooked: The Global Midwife Shortage

Despite their selfless service, the midwifery profession often suffers neglect. The world currently faces a shortage of one million midwives, a gap exacerbated by dwindling humanitarian funding and advancement aid. Long-standing issues such as inadequate infrastructure, meager wages, insufficient equipment, and threats to personal safety further compound the problem.

Consider the statistics: The World Health Association (WHO) estimates that globally,approximately 295,000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2017. The majority of these deaths occurred in low-resource settings and could have been prevented with access to skilled birth attendants, including midwives.

The Midwifery Accelerator: A Global Initiative for Change

To address these persistent and emerging challenges,the UNFPA,in collaboration with the International Confederation of Midwives,UNICEF,JHPIEGO,the World Health Organization,and other global partners,has launched the Midwifery Accelerator (Acceleration Program for Obstetric care). This initiative aims to bolster midwifery education, leadership, and deployment in over 125 countries.

The Transformative Impact of Midwives

The evidence is compelling: midwives are capable of providing 90% of essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn health care, even in humanitarian settings. Achieving universal coverage of midwife-provided care could potentially save over 4.3 million lives annually by 2035.

Making universal coverage a reality for care provided by midwives could save more than 4.3 million lives each year by 2035.

Investing in Midwives: Building a Better Future

Creating a brighter future for women in crisis hinges on supporting midwives, notably in the times and places where their expertise is most critical. By investing in their training, resources, and safety, we can empower them to continue providing life-saving care to those who need it most.