Nigeria’s 70,000 midwives deficit dangerous– UNFPA

To close the midwives shortage gap in Nigeria by 2030, about 70,000 more midwives are needed, the United Nations Population Fund has said.

UNFPA made this known in a press statement by its Executive Director, Dr Natalia Kanem, issued in commemoration of the 2023 International Day of the Midwife with the theme ‘Together again: from evidence to reality.’

IDM is May 5 and it is a day dedicated to celebrating midwives for their unwavering commitment to saving lives and ensuring the health and wellbeing of women and newborn babies.

Dr Kanem said, “The 2021 State of the World’s Midwifery report puts the midwives shortage in Nigeria at about 30,000 which is 6 per 10,000 people. To close the gap by 2030, about 70,000 more midwives posts are needed but with current estimates only 40,000 more will be created by 2030. This shortage is particularly acute in northern Nigeria where essential needs for maternal and reproductive health care are unmet.”

She said the consequences of not having enough skilled midwives were alarming.

She said in a world where a woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth, access to skilled midwives was one of the most important ways to avert preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

Kanem added, “If every pregnant woman had access to a well-trained, caring midwife, we would be much closer to a world where every childbirth is safe. Instead, many health systems continue to marginalise this mostly female workforce and treat midwives poorly in terms of pay, working conditions and opportunities to cultivate skills.

“This, along with a global shortage of 900,000 midwives, reflects an assumption that they are not essential healthcare workers. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Around the globe, in countries that invest in a capable midwifery workforce, more mothers and babies survive and thrive. Midwives provide essential information on sexual and reproductive health, including family planning, and help people navigate often-sensitive issues in a variety of contexts, including in humanitarian settings. Midwives are often the only healthcare workers serving people in hard-to-reach places.”

Kanem stated, “It doesn’t have to be this way. Universal access to midwives offers the best and most cost-efficient solution to end preventable maternal deaths. By closing the deficit in the number of midwives, we could prevent two thirds of maternal and newborn deaths, saving over 4.3 million lives a year by 2035.

“In some 125 countries, including Nigeria, UNFPA strongly advocates for quality midwifery care. Evidence shows that competent midwives can provide 90 per cent of essential sexual and reproductive health care, yet because they are both underutilised and in short supply, they account for only 10 per cent of those currently providing these services.

“Midwife-led care models improve health outcomes, increase patient satisfaction and reduce costs. While midwives are often relegated to the periphery of health care, all evidence suggests they should be at the centre.”