Theme: “100 years of progress”
Today, I join the world in recognising our hardworking and compassionate midwives. May 05 marks International Day of the Midwife, observed under the theme “100 years of progress”.
International Day of the Midwife was first celebrated in 1991 and has been observed in over 50 nations worldwide. The idea to recognise Midwives originated from the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives Conference, which was held in the Netherlands. Globally, on this day, agencies of health use this day to honour midwives and promote awareness about their importance in providing crucial care and services to mothers and their newborns.
One cannot underestimate the comprehensive primary care services midwives provide during and after pregnancy, labour and childbirth to our women. This service is sometimes extended in the form of counselling to the spouse and other family members. Over the years, our midwives have been serving the people of the coastland and hinterland regions of Guyana, and today, I salute them for the sacrifices and strides they have made in maternal-child health.
Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on its fair share of challenges, but our midwives continued to be at the frontline of the response throughout it all. From a midwife’s perspective, the challenges of supporting pregnant women during COVID-19 are crucial, and our midwives have gone beyond the call of duty to care for patients and comfort the family of patients in the hospitals and health centres. The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Health, will like to acknowledge the role that midwives play in providing face-to-face patient care to women and children, especially during this pandemic, and to thank them for all their hard work and sacrifices as we work together to bring an end to the pandemic.
To protect our hardworking midwives from this disease, the government has ensured that adequate personal protection equipment is always available. The government has also made available safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to all healthcare workers, including nurses and midwives; we are optimistic that on this day that those nurses who have not yet taken their vaccines will make a special effort to be vaccinated so that they can reduce the risk of COVID 19 infection, reduce the chance of hospitalisation and the possibility of dying from COVID-19. Let us continue encouraging our colleagues, friends and family members to get vaccinated.
On behalf of myself, the entire health fraternity and the people of Guyana, we say a big “Thank You” for your commitment and years of service to the health sector. As you help us navigate this pandemic, we look forward to brighter days when our country will achieve herd immunity, and we can return to a state of normalcy. Indeed, with your collective voice and leadership, the future of health care can be COVID- 19 free.
Happy International Day of the Midwife.