As Nurses and Midwives across the globe celebrate the ‘International Day of the Midwife’, wife of the President of the Senate, Dr. Mrs. Toyin Saraki, has lamented the negligence of midwives in hospitals, calling on government at all levels to invest in midwifery for greater results.
Mrs Saraki, who is also the President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa and Global Ambassador, International Confederation of Midwives, said the investment of the government would help harness the partnership of Midwives, Mothers and families, whom she described as “Power of Three”.
The Senate President’s wife, who received the officials of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), in Abuja, on Friday, in commemoration of the Midwife Day, bemoaned the neglects of midwives in the health sector.
She stated that, a situation whereby, Doctors and other health workers are favourably given attention ahead of Midwives, should be discouraged.
“We must, as a nation, policy makers and citizens, respect the midwife. They need to be paid their correct salaries, they need to be respected by other healthcare professionals and the community at large.
“The midwife plays a key role in our society health, so it is vital e look after our midwives, as they are the first hands to hold and first eyes to see our babies”, Saraki said.
Speaking further, Mrs. Saraki said, the midwives have built long lasting bonds, “that even after the birth and postnatal period, mothers keep in touch and maintain the relationship with the midwives”.
She said, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, as way of policy, would be celebrating the Midwife Day with hundreds of nurses and midwives, selected from 92 Nursing and Midwifery Colleges across the continent.
“Alongside the midwives and nurses, we will also bring together, policymakers, citizens and international organizations, to discuss how we can all ensure that midwifery and midwives are at the heart of the solution to maternal an newborn health.
“We will also be supporting midwives of NANNM, in a relief outreach mission to Internally Displaced Persons at the ad hoc Kuchigoro settlement in Abuja”, Saraki added.
She said the Midwives would also be paying courtesy visit to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, to present evidence of impact from in-country actions at the grassroots, aligned with global policy.
Earlier in her opening speech, the President of NANNM, Dr. Akinsola Margaret Olubunmi, appreciated Mrs. Saraki, for her wonderful supports to Midwives and Nurses in Nigeria and Africa.
While stressing the need for improvement of Midwives welfare in their palaces of assignment, Dr. Olubunmi pledged to join hands with the wife of the Senate President, in advocating for the sustainability of forum in Nigeria.
Highlights of the event was the public viewing of the ‘I am a Midwife’ video and cutting of cake, to mark the International Day of the Midwife.
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