Myitkyina, Kachin State - Since 2012, UNFPA has been working with the Department of Health Professional Resource Development Management (DHPRDM), under the Ministry of Health, to improve overall midwifery practices. Two hundred and fifty two faculty members, who work in 22 midwifery and 28 nursing schools in all 15 States and Regions of Myanmar, have attended training of trainers (TOT) sessions on emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC).

The TOT runs for 5 days, covering topics such as the management of both natural and emergency deliveries, as well as mother and newborn care. Complementary to the TOT training is an additional 4 months of rigorous hands on training, funded by UNFPA, on emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) at teaching hospitals in Yangon. Daw Hnin Hnin Lwin, Principal of Myitkyina Midwifery School in Kachin State, is one of the 128 health nurses and midwives who have participated in this practical training.

Daw Hnin Hnin Lwin is currently training 117 midwives who are studying for their midwifery diploma. The diploma is a combination of theoretical lessons and mandatory practical trainings. The practical training at health centres allows midwives to apply the skills they have learned. Highlighting the importance of this approach Dr Win Aung, UNFPA Programme Analyst for Reproductive Health, said: “The combination of the TOT and 4 months hands on training increases the competency of midwives and exposes them to the realities of supporting women in childbirth. This acquired skillset can mean the difference between life and death for both mothers and their newborns.” 

Daw Hnin Hnin Lwin has now finished training the first batch of 45 students who received their midwifery diploma in November 2014. The majority of these students will be posted in Kachin State. The challenge for midwives in rural areas of Kachin State is that most women prefer to give birth at home, which can be risky if complications occur. To attempt to address this, students, as part of their practical training at Myitkyina’s Midwifery School, go to the local rural health care clinic in Mytkyina Township which has a good utilization rate and assists in 3 to 4 births per day. There they receive hands on training in delivery.

Daw Hnin Hnin Lwin spoke about the importance of both the TOT and 4 months training for midwife students saying: "Midwives, once in the field, are equipped with the knowledge to assess the progress of labour and can recognize complications at an early stage, ensuring timely referrals to hospitals which can save lives."