UNFPA organized a workshop on “The Midwifery Gap Analysis in Sudan”

The Federal Ministry of Health & United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) organized a workshop on “The Midwifery Gap Analysis in Sudan”, with the technical support from the International Confederation of Midwives.

The five-day workshop is to disseminate the results of the midwifery gap analysis that was conducted in 2017, covering all aspects of the midwifery programme.  The purpose was to develop a strategic plan for improving the midwifery education, regulation and association in Sudan in order to improve the quality of midwifery services in general.

The first day of the workshop was attended by 38 participants including policymakers, academia, the civil society, professional associations, and UN agencies, in addition to several departments of Sudan Federal Ministry of Health. This day enabled participants to reach a common understanding of the gaps in the field of midwifery paving the way for identifying specific actions for improvement.

“Sudan Government is committed to improving maternal health, reducing maternal deaths, and a lot has been achieved in this area in the past years”, said Dr. Isameldin Mohammed, Undersecretary, FMoH. He expressed his appreciation to UNFPA for its leadership and strategic role in supporting reproductive health programmes in the Country in general, and maternal and new born health in particular.

“Investing in midwifery programmes is at the heart of UNFPA’s work, in the context of sexual and reproductive health, Ms. Lina Mousa, UNFPA Representative said in her opening remarks”.  She pressed on the vital role of midwives in saving lives of mothers and newborns. “Conducting Midwifery Gap Analysis is a very strategic initiative led jointly by the FMoH and UNFPA, the first ever to be conducted in the country. The findings are expected to lead the development of a national midwifery strategy which responds effectively to the needs of Sudan in achieving its aspiration of improving the health and life of women and their children”, said Ms. Lina Mousa.