UN Reports Completion Of Second Midwifery Training Program In Bamyan

On Sunday, September 15, the UN Refugee Agency posted on its X page that the newly graduated midwives in Bamiyan have committed to tackling the province's high infant and maternal mortality rates.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees emphasized that the midwifery training program was implemented with financial support from partner organizations and the European Union.

The agency did not provide specific details or statistics about the number of participants in this training program.

Earlier, in mid-March 2023, 40 midwives graduated from the first round of training in Bamiyan after completing the initial program.

Meanwhile, on September 1, the UN Population Fund announced that Afghanistan urgently needs 18,000 skilled midwives. The fund warned that if this demand is not met, many women's lives will be at risk.

According to health organizations, Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. The UN Population Fund stated that midwives could meet around 90% of the urgent reproductive health needs of mothers, infants, and adolescent girls. Additionally, there is a global shortage of around 900,000 trained midwives.

The ongoing midwifery training programs in Bamiyan offer a glimmer of hope in addressing Afghanistan's dire maternal health crisis. However, much more needs to be done to meet the country's urgent healthcare demands.

With a critical shortage of midwives both in Afghanistan and globally, significant investments in training and healthcare infrastructure are essential to save lives and improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

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