On the International Day of the Midwife, UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, stands in solidarity with midwives and thank them for the life-saving work they do. This year the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) is more important than ever before. As the Millennium Development Goals come to an end in September, this is the last chance to shine a spotlight on midwifery before the world and Timor-Leste enter into a new era. Midwives are essential achieving the new set of goals called the Sustainable Development Goals and creating a brighter future for mothers, babies, and families.
Today, on the International Day of the Midwife, UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, stands in solidarity with midwives and thank them for the life-saving work they do. This year the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) is more important than ever before. As the Millennium Development Goals come to an end in September, this is the last chance to shine a spotlight on midwifery before the world and Timor-Leste enter into a new era. Midwives are essential achieving the new set of goals called the Sustainable Development Goals and creating a brighter future for mothers, babies, and families.
Midwives significantly contribute to a better future by providing quality reproductive, maternal and newborn health. By caring for women and babies, midwives help ensure that they are healthy and thriving in their communities. Midwives that are educated and regulated to international standards can provide 87% of the essential care needed for women and newborns. Investing in midwives means investing in a better future with effective health services for all women and their families. Investments need to address availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of midwifery care.
Skilled midwives, with the equipment and support they need, can spell the difference between life and death in Timor-Leste for close to 6700 women each year, and ten times that many infants
Four domains determine if a health system and its health workforce provides effective coverage-availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of care. Midwives need to be at the forefront of the initiatives to improve these four domains. UNFPA will continue to support midwifery in these four domains and work towards the goal of ensuring that every pregnancy is safe and that universal access to sexual and reproductive health services is a reality for all.
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The International Day of the Midwife celebration held at Midwifery School of FMCS/UNTL (Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e) in Dili, with students and Midwives, along with health fair side event. The health fair witnessed presentation on the role of midwives to a better future by providing quality reproductive, maternal and newborn health service.
