Midwives' campaign: Vision trains journalists

By Godfrey Ojore

To enable journalists write informed stories that highlight the role of midwives and creating awareness of the need to implement universal practice of midwifery in saving lives of mothers and babies, the embassy of Sweden in Kampala has sensitized 21 Vision Group journalists that will champion the cause starting next week.

The journalists shall be focusing on the critical role of midwives in reducing maternal and child mortality in the country and the campaign shall run on all Vision Group radio stations.

“We shall be having weekly talk shows on all our radio stations where we shall engage the leaders and the communities on how to improve the welfare of midwives in the country,” said Catherine Mwesigwa, the Deputy editor New Vision, who is also one of the champions of the campaign.

Last week the ambassador of Sweden in Uganda Urban Andersson and the First Lady who is also the minister for Karamoja Janet Museveni launched the campaign dubbed midwives4all with the purpose of sparking engagement and greater discussion on the benefits of investing in the midwifery workforce in the country.

“Delay in bringing the expectant women to health facilities has always constituted to the death of many women but whenever journalists report, they will always accuse the midwife to be responsible,” said Maria Najjemba the country midwifery adviser/UNFPA.

Najjemba, explained to journalists that they should also get to know the difference between midwives and nursing assistants and their roles in the health facilities.

“Midwives are not trained to bark at women as it is portrayed in the public. We are good people but due to inadequate number of midwives in the country they are over worked,” Najjemba explained.

On average, a Ugandan midwife delivers 350-500 mothers annually contrary to the World Health Organization standard of 175 births per midwife per year.

According to Nelly Badaru the consultant on midwives4all campaign at the embassy of Sweden in Uganda one way of increasing the number of midwives in the country is through training and absorbing those who have been trained but not engaged.

“Media is critical in educating the masses to understand the importance of midwives and actively support the role of midwifes and engage men,” Badaru said.

She said that embassy of Sweden in Kampala accepted to partner with Vision Group because of the success of many projects that the company has held educating communities.

David Mukholi the managing editor in charge editorial assured the embassy consultant that the company shall give its best to highlight the plight of midwives in the country.

“Our target is to contribute to the reduction of the number of women who die during child birth. We need to write articles and produce programmes that remind everyone of their role and responsibility in protecting our mothers,” Mukholi said.

Uganda and other African countries have failed to meet the Millennium Developments Goals number four and five on reduction of child mortality and maternal mortality.

“Investment in skilled midwives yield a 16-fold return on investment in terms of saving lives of women,” Badaru said.