NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar, — UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health commemorates the International Day of the Midwife, for the first time in Nay Pyi Taw on 5 May, to honour Myanmar midwives, whom women and families count on to ensure a safe delivery and healthy newborn.

The objectives of the commemoration are to pay tribute to the crucial role of midwives in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality, to celebrate the achievements of midwives and the national programme in improving maternal and neonatal care and midwifery services and to motivate policymakers to enhance midwifery human resources and recognize the unique professional role of midwives in improving the health of all communities.

A wide range of midwives, stakeholders from government, civil society, UN and local NGOs attended the event.

During her opening remarks, Dr. Thein Thein Htay, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health, recognised the efforts made by the midwives, known as “Red Angels”, in the rural areas where 70% of Myanmar population resides and said that their tasks are crucial to the successful implementation of health care in the rural areas. She commended the work of Myanmar midwives and said; “I would like to urge all stakeholders to cooperate in ensuring that every pregnancy is wanted, all births are safe and to meet the need for skilled midwives to provide quality services for the people”.

Mr. Rogelio Fernandez Castilla, Officer-in-Charge of UNFPA, read the Joint Statement delivered by the United Nations Population Fund and the International Confederation of Midwives and was quoted as saying : “ Importantly, midwives are also key to ensuring universal access to voluntary family planning. This alone could help prevent 87 million unintended pregnancies—so many of which result in unsafe abortions in developing countries—and close to a third of all maternal deaths. About 222 million women want to delay or avoid pregnancies but lack the modern means to do so. Midwives’ invaluable counselling skills are instrumental in empowering young couples and women to make the decisions that are right for their particular situations”.

To underscore the importance of midwifery, midwife kits were handed over to the midwives from the Department of Health, Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association (MMCWA) and Myanmar Nurse and Midwife Association (MNMA).

To reflect Myanmar experiences, staff from Department of Medical Science and MNMA shared their experiences and success stories.

Three selected midwives from Department of Health, representing all midwives from Myanmar, shared their inspiring experiences, challenges and how they made decisions during live threatening situations of pregnant mothers.

During his closing remarks, Mr. Castilla thanked the Ministry of Health for organizing, actively participating and recognizing the works of midwives. Dr. Thein Thein Htay, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health, remarked on the heartening presentations of the three midwives and said that every midwife in Myanmar has very unique experiences, for they do not only deliver births, but also provide holistic health care services.

International Day for Midwives celebrates and recognizes the unique skills, roles and responsibilities midwives bring to delivery care, and the central role that midwives play in making motherhood safer. Maternal mortality and morbidity cannot be reduced without midwives and others with midwifery skills. Globally and in Myanmar also, there is a shortage of midwives. Through this commemoration, emphasis has been made for midwifery workforce to be strengthened in quantity and in quality.