Two midwives from two Catholic Hospitals have received national honours as Best Midwives at the 2020 International Day of the Midwife Award Ceremony held in Accra.
Madam Joan Dartey of the Sacred Heart Hospital, Abor was awarded Best Midwife for the Volta Region and Madam Patience Simpi of the St. Joseph Hospital, Nkwanta, as Best Midwife for the Oti Region.
The International Day of the Midwife is observed globally in May every year but was held virtually this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Ghana therefore held its award ceremony in October at the Ministry of Health, Accra. The Day is marked to acknowledge and honour midwives globally for their significant role in reducing maternal mortalities. The theme for 2020 is ‘Midwives with women: celebrate, demonstrate, mobilize, unite – our time is NOW!
The objectives of the Day include to highlight achievements and gap in midwifery practice, increase awareness of midwifery services in the media and award distinguished midwives who have braced the odds in the face of daunting challenges to ensure they saved lives.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Chief Director at the Ministry of Health, the Minister of Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, congratulated all Ghanaian midwives for their immense contribution to the health sector through their role in reducing maternal mortality. He acknowledged the sacrifices midwives make by risking their own lives to save women and new borns. He said the World Health Organization estimates that the world will need an additional 9 million nurses and midwives in order to have all countries reach the Sustainable Development Goal 3 by 2030. He mentioned that Government’s key strategy in achieving this is to employ more midwives to Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) so mothers could have close contact and access to ante-natal and post- natal care. “Government is also collaborating with some universities to roll out undergraduate programmes to raise the academic profiles of midwives”, he said. So far, 28 midwives have been trained in leadership and management in the six new regions, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The Minister emphasized that the MOH will create the necessary enabling environment to support the working and living conditions of nurses and midwives to reach collective health goals.
Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, on his part said recognizing the role of midwives highlights the achievements and needs of the profession hence the commitment to invest in the recruitment, retention and capacity building of midwives to help save lives across the nation. He reiterated the contribution of midwives to maternal health indicators even in the period of COVID-19. Ghana recorded 207 per 100,000 live births in 2018 and 128 per 100, 000 live births in 2019. As at half year 2020, antenatal care attendance and deliveries have not declined. Maternal Mortality Rate in 2020 is lower than 2019.
The Director General charged the awardees to confirm their eligibility for the award by committing to hard work and being change agents for quality midwifery services in their communities.
Mrs. Netta Forson-Ackon, President of the Ghana Registered Midwives Association expressed her joy that hardworking midwives across the nation have been recognized. She charged the awardees to go to the communities to be change agents and serve as role models to their colleagues. “Take decisions without counting the cost since your chosen career is a vocation than a profession”, she said.
A representative of the Awardees, Madam Philomena Owusu Domfeh, pledged the commitment of her colleagues to continually discharge their duties with utmost professionalism to attain excellent midwifery practice and services. She asked for more logistics to ensure delivery of quality care at their facilities.
Also present at the ceremony were the UNFPA Country Representative, Mr. Niyi Ojuolape and Mr. Daniel Mumuni, Country Representative, Catholic Relief Services.
The awardees were selected after rigorous interview process from the Regional Health Directorates through the District Health to the facility level. The nominee must have served not less than three years, must possess professional competence, have record of innovation in practice, good interpersonal client and staff relationship, comportment/etiquette and good leadership.
The Best Midwives were each given a lap top, table- top fridge and a glass plaque, sponsored by UNFPA and CRS.
Midwives from all the 16 regions and 5 Teaching Hospitals were awarded.