By Lizzy Carr
The Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Natalia Kanem, has emphasised the need for greater financial and programmatic investment in midwifery to reduce maternal and child mortality in Bauchi State.
Dr. Kanem made this known in a message presented by the UNFPA State Programme Officer, Deborah Tabara, during a one-day lecture for students of the Aliko Dangote College of Nursing Sciences, Bauchi.
The event was organized by the Bauchi State Ministry of Health and the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with UNFPA, to commemorate the 2025 International Day of the Midwife.
She noted that midwives have the potential to prevent two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths while delivering substantial economic and social benefits.
“Midwives can provide 90 percent of essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services, including family planning,” Dr. Kanem stated.
“On this International Day of the Midwife, we call on governments and donors to join UNFPA and partners in the Midwifery Accelerator Initiative. This initiative aims to scale up investments in midwives and the systems that support them—before more lives are lost.”
Tabara also stressed the importance of synergy, noting that midwives not only save lives but also support survivors of gender-based violence, especially during crises.
“Let us work together to address the global shortage of nearly one million midwives and put an end to preventable maternal deaths,” she added.
Dr. Kanem further emphasized the critical role of midwives in humanitarian and disaster response, describing their deployment as a life-saving and cost-effective intervention.
She lamented the persistent underinvestment in midwifery, which has led to inadequate training, poor infrastructure, lack of supplies, and low salaries—challenges that are even more pronounced in times of crisis.
“Midwives often risk their lives to care for women and girls in hard-to-reach communities, yet their role is still undervalued,” she said.
In a presentation on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition (RMNCH+N), Dr. Robinson Yusuf highlighted the central role midwives play in improving the health and well-being of women and children.
Also speaking on gender-based violence (GBV) in Bauchi State, Deborah Tabara urged the nursing students to deepen their understanding of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), which they are likely to encounter in their professional practice.
She explained that health workers play a vital role in treating survivors, conducting HIV testing, offering psychological first aid, and referring them for reproductive health services.
“Always respect survivors’ choices, maintain confidentiality, avoid discrimination, and provide unbiased care,” she advised.
