In-depth
Midwifery investment can save millions of lives of women
  • | VOV | July 11, 2014 05:13 PM
The State of the World’s Midwifery 2014 report released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam and the Ministry of Health (MOH), reveals that having midwives at the bedside of each pregnant woman in the world can save millions of lives.

However, still major shortages in the midwifery workforce in 73 countries surveyed for this report, including Vietnam, exist. Countries where these services are most desperately needed. The report recommends new strategies to address these deficits and save millions of lives of women and newborns.

The 73 African, Asian and Latin American countries represented in the report account for 96% of the global burden of maternal deaths, 91% of stillbirths and 93% of newborn deaths, but have only 42% of the world’s midwives, nurses and doctors.

Still, almost 300,000 women the world over lose their lives every year while giving life. Every two minutes, a woman dies of complications during her pregnancy or childbirth.


Health experts say that midwives play a crucial role in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 (decrease child death) and 5 (increase maternal health and universal access to reproductive health).

According to the MOH, the midwifery force in Vietnam is estimated at around 23,000 people, meeting only 83% of demand and it is not evenly distributed by population and region. The proportion of midwives in the current total population is at a low level (3.5 midwives/10.000 people). Approximately 5% of communal health centres (equivalent to 517 communes) in the remote mountainous areas do not have maternity staff. Around 17% of women-mostly living in remote and coastal areas-do not yet have access to reproductive health care services.

"Midwifery and midwifery practice play a crucial role in Vietnam’s maternal and newborn health care system. A skilled midwifery workforce with high competencies, motivated and supported by the health care system, is key to successfully reducing maternal and newborn mortality and contributes to achieving MDGs 4 ,5 and 6," said, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Viet Tien.

"Investing in human resources for health, especially for midwives, is one of the soundest investments a country can make. When midwives are properly trained, empowered and supported, they can contribute significantly to saving many lives of people, mothers and newborns, as well as improving the nation’s economic and social productivity. This is a highly cost-effective public health strategy", emphasized Arthur Erken, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam.

Vietnam has made very impressive progress towards achieving the MDGs and has been successful in meeting most of them. In the area of reproductive health in particular, Vietnam has made substantial progress in strengthening safe motherhood and newborn health services. In addition, the National Competencies for Midwives, developed and introduced in line with the International Confederation of Midwives' recommendations, and the National Programme of Action (NPA) for strengthening nursing and midwifery services 2012-2020 approved over the past years showed the strong commitment and efforts of the Government in strengthening the national health workforce and achieving the health-related MDGs.

Deputy Health Minister Tien said that the shortage of midwives has driven maternal and infant mortality in the nation’s 62 poorest districts 3-4 times higher than the national average level.

Giving birth at home without support from professional medical staff has become prevalent in many areas inhabited by ethnic minorities.

Vietnam has about 2.4 million pregnant women each year, however, only 1 - 1.2 million children are born in which there are over 1 million cases of abortion and obstetrical  accident, thus seriously affecting the quality of the population and women's health.

MDGs are coming closer to 2015, however, Vietnam is still in a fix to deal with the shortage of midwives in remote and mountainous areas.

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