FG To Upgrade Standard Of Midwifery Practice In Nigeria – Adewole
Abuja-The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has disclosed that plans are already in place by the Federal Government to upgrade the standard of practice for midwifery in the country.
Prof. Adewole who said this in Abuja while commemorating the International Day of Midwifery (IDM) 2017, noted that a knowledgeable, skilled and motivated workforce in the health sector is an important catalyst towards achieving universal health coverage.
He stressed the need for pre- service training and capacity development which would involve regular curriculum review and provision of adequate funding.
Adewole further explained that the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS) launched in 2009 which was aimed at ensuring skilled birth attendants through the recruitment and deployment of midwives to areas where they are in short supply as frontline workers, is currently being reviewed.
He reiterated that the Federal Ministry of Health is committed to revitalizing the primary healthcare system in Nigeria which is the bedrock of health systems in the country in order to decongest the burden of excessive consultations in the tertiary and specialist healthcare facilities.
The minister also used the platform to thank some development partners for strengthening the midwifery workforce over the years and commended the wife of the Senate President, Mrs.Toyin Saraki for supporting Government initiatives through her NGO the WellBeing Foundation.
Earlier in her remarks, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, the founder of WellBeing Foundation, stressed the need for Government, NGOs and Development Partners, to invest in capacity building for Midwives and Nurses.
