Midwifery training may reduce mortality rate: 30,000 women die annually

At least 30,000 women die every year in Pakistan, one death after every 20 minuets during pregnancy. This ratio could be brought down to large extent by imparting better training to midwifery staff, a seminar on Maternal Mortality was told here on May 9.
The seminar was organised by Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of Kulsoom Bai Valika Social Security Hospital, Site, Karachi. Renowned gynaecologist and President of National Committee on Maternal and Neonatal Health (NCMNH), Professor Sadiqa Jaffery said that today's in advanced era, there is up to 70-80 percent deliveries take place at homes. If 15 percent experienced and trained midwives are available for services, thousands of lives both mother and child could be saved, she added.
The national level arrangements for better and advanced training of midwives would help controlling this higher mortality rate, Professor Jaffery said.
She added their organisation had devised a national programme aimed to controlling mortality rate and save new-born babies of disabilities due to delivery-related complications.
She regretted that as no survey was conducted in Pakistan to assess mortality ratio during delivery and disabilities to babies during the process.
Highlighting role of midwives, Professor Jaffery said role of midwives and staff of anesthesia and labour room was of much importance, adding the first one, whom a pregnant woman contacts is also a midwife. She stressed on modern training of midwifery staff at national level.
Incharge of Gynae Department, Valika Hospital, Dr Khurshid Baloch said 20 million ladies get infected with various diseases and disabilities related to gynae process, during pregnancy or delivery annually across the world. She pointed out this ratio in developing countries was 99 percent, where rate of such complications was over 200 percent that include lack of awareness about pregnancy, illiteracy and formal methods.
She added that every one expecting mother out of 38 in Pakistan, one out of 230 in Sri Lanka, one out of 5,100 in Britain and one in 6,000 die during delivery. In his address, Sessi Commissioner Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi said their utmost effort would be to generate five more vacancies of midwives; two in Valika Hospital, one each in Landhi, Hyderabad and Kotri hospitals in next budget so that to ensure better facilities in this regard.
Organiser of moot, gynaecologist of Valika Hospital, Hina Mukarram said Valika hospital reported rare incidents of death during delivery during year 2005-06, and added this became possible due to best efforts of government and Sessi administration. Some 866 deliveries were made at hospital in 2005 and 928 in 2006, while only two deaths were reported.