Religious service tomorrow to mark International Day of the Midwife |07 May 2010

This year’s theme for the day is ‘The World Needs Midwives Today More Than Ever”.
The International Day of the Midwife on May 5 is a date set aside by the International Confederation of Midwives since 1991 to honor midwives.

The aim of designating a special day for midwives is to enable them to use it as an aid for the growth and development of their profession, the maternity services of their countries, and to achieve better outcomes for women and their babies.

This reflects the World Health Organisation (WHO) call for midwives and the need to accelerate progress towards MDGs (millennium development goals) 4 and 5. Many midwives around the world, including those in Seychelles, celebrate this special day every year.

Midwives are skilled specialists in normal birth, who work alongside obstetricians (specialist doctors in women’s health), in case where midwives recognize possible problems.

In Seychelles, midwives are responsible for approximately 80% of deliveries on their own and obstetricians are present for the remainder.

International Day of the Midwife will provide an opportunity for members of the public to appreciate and value midwifery, and the joy that it brings to women and their families.

This day will also give all midwives the chance to engage themselves in bringing midwifery in all its dimensions to the notice of their communities.