"Every Birth a Triumph": Zambia Salutes Midwives -

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By Dainess Nyirenda-Sikamwaya

Zambia has commemorated the International Day of the Midwife, reaffirming its commitment to improving maternal and newborn health services across the country.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Elijah Muchima, emphasized the invaluable role midwives play as the backbone of maternal and neonatal care.

Highlighting the government’s commitment to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality rates, Dr. Muchima underscored the importance of this year’s theme: “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis.”

The Health Minister announced key government initiatives aimed at strengthening maternal health services and these include continued investments in training programs for midwives, supported by partners like UNFPA, Seed Global Health, Jhpiego, and scaling up community-based health programs and maternity annexes across the country.

While acknowledging a consistent reduction in maternal deaths from 278/100,000 in 2018 to 187/100,000 in 2024, and a decline in neonatal mortality from 24/1000 to 17/1000 live births over the same period, Dr. Muchima disclosed that more is being done.

“My Ministry has launched several initiatives to improve access to quality maternal and newborn health services, including scaling up community-based health programs, nutritional supplements, constructing maternity annexes, and equitable distribution of qualified health workers, with over 550 midwives hired out of 4,140 nurses employed in the last three years,” he said.

Drawing inspiration from President Hakainde Hichilema’s commitment to ensuring that no woman should die while giving birth, he said

The Midwife Association of Zambia Dr Sera Ngoma has expressed gratitude to the government for the recent large-scale recruitment of midwives across the health sector, a move which is part of broader efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve maternal and child health outcomes nationwide.

the association is pleased that their longstanding call for midwives to be included in the promotion process has been answered. Several midwives who have been advocating for career advancement are now receiving promotions, which is expected to boost morale and motivation within the sector.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative has also commended Zambia’s progress, noting a tremendous reduction in maternal and child deaths over recent years.

As the agency responsible for reproductive health initiatives globally, UNFPA has urged Zambia to sustain and expand these initiatives, emphasizing that consistent implementation of reproductive health programs is vital for Zambia to achieve this vital milestone and ensure healthier mothers and babies in the future.

By Dainess Nyirenda-Sikamwaya

Ministry of Health Zambia