Free State celebrates International Midwife Day

The annual day of the midwife, which is celebrated around the world, is themed: “Healthy families: the key to the future”.

The day aims to celebrate midwifery and to bring awareness to people on the importance of midwives' work that promotes healthy growth and the well being of mothers, children, the family and community at large as well as future generations.

During the celebrations, all practicing midwives within the province's hospitals and clinics participated in various activities including wearing Free State Midwifery Society T-shirts to work, putting on green and red ribbons and releasing green and red balloons at noon.

Midwives assist pregnant women during birth; provide care during the postnatal period as well as providing care to the newborn babies.

The South African Midwives are members of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM).

ICM is a non-governmental organisation and works closely with the World Health Organisation, United Nations Population Fund, United Nations Children's Fund and other organisations worldwide to achieve common goals in the care of mothers and children.

The organisation advises, supports and strengthens midwives and midwifery associations globally to secure women's right and access to midwifery care before, during and after childbirth through global initiatives to help reduce the numbers of mothers and babies who die during or after childbirth.

Maternal and child mortality ranks high on the list of Millennium Development Goals with MDGs four and five aiming to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health respectively.

The set target is to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters by 2015.

Meanwhile, the Society of Midwives of South Africa will be hosting the 29th triennial congress of the ICM.

The congress, to be held in Durban in 2011, is expected to be attended by more than 1,700 representatives from around the world to debate views on global midwifery and maternal and neonatal health issues.

The bid was won in 2005 through the support of the Department of Health as recognition for the crucial role of nurses in advancing quality healthcare service in the country.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews