Govt will assign midwives to villages to attain MDGs: Ruhal

FE Report The government will assign midwives to villages to attain millennium development goals (MDGs) by ensuring sound healthcare of mother and child in the country's remote areas, Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque said Wednesday. Midwifery is a health care profession in which providers offer care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labour and birth, and during the postpartum period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding. The minister said this while addressing as chief guest the certificate giving ceremony for faculties & midwives who successfully completed a six-month duration course of Post Basic Advanced Midwifery held at a city hotel. He said, this highly trained community will help the overpopulated country reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate in the rural areas where such rate is comparatively high due to lack of enough expert physicians. Bangladesh will have to produce at least 3,000 midwives by 2015 to attain the MGDs according to the commitment made in the UN (United Nations) assembly. "These midwives will provide healthcare services not only to babies, but also ensure sound health in society as a whole," the minister said. He further said it will be the responsibility of these educated and trained midwives to train the untrained midwives in the villages to strengthen the home delivery. Professor Dr Syed Modasser Ali, health advisor to the premier, said, "Though the maternal and infant mortality rate is declining we still need to try not to let any mother or baby die without proper treatment." According to a statistics they mentioned in the programme, the maternal mortality rate is 198 in 0.1 million and the infant mortality rate is 52 in 1000. He also emphasized on gathering latest information which will help the midwives to be always updated as only getting certificate will never work to achieve the goal. Mozibur Rahman Fakir, state minister for health, reminded the newly graduated midwives about their responsibilities as their negligence may cause the death of any mother or baby. Md Humayun Kabir, health secretary, said that the time has come for the newly graduated midwives to prove their efficiency through their work in the hard-to-reach areas. Mr Arthur Erken, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative, Bangladesh said, "Investing in midwives is the soundest and most cost effective investment Bangladesh can make." He added that midwives will be able to save the lives of women and children in Bangladesh by providing a comprehensive maternal care for pregnant women and their families, support women when giving birth and will be able to work independently for the safety of the mother and her child.