From the Millennium Development Goals to the Sustainable Development Goals, efforts have been stated, reaffirmed, and acted upon to improve maternal and newborn health, but far more needs to be done. The latest data shows that worldwide 810 women and 7,000 newborns still die every day. Half of maternal deaths and over 60% of neonatal deaths are attributed to poor quality care and are preventable.
A strong professionalized midwifery cadre is a key solution to this challenge. The newly released State of the World’s Midwifery (SoWMy) 2021 that presents findings on the Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Adolescent Health (SRMNAH) workforce from 194 countries establishes a worldwide shortage of 1.1 million SRMNAH workers, the largest shortage (900,000) being midwives. As we listen to the data, the midwives and the women in communities, one message is clear: bold investments in midwifery are needed.
On May 27, the Johnson & Johnson Center for Health Worker Innovation, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) co-hosted an interactive virtual event as part of the Front Line in Focus series to celebrate the release of SoWMy 2021, recognize the impact of midwifery, and explore what key next steps are needed to strengthen maternal and newborn health. Through dynamic presentations and an intimate dialogue, this event will lift up innovative solutions, spotlight progress and instill hope by helping the audience better understand the range of places and unexpected ways that midwives serve in the world.
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