Midwives have been present in the lives of women since time immemorial and continue to stand with women at every stage of life – providing comprehensive reproductive health care throughout pregnancy and child birth. From prenatal counseling, antenatal care, child birth and postnatal care, midwives are ever present in that crucial journey of mothers that sees new life brought forth. Midwives, too, play the role of advocates of women’s rights since they are exposed to the inequities and inequalities facing women in their day to-day work and are best placed to voice their clients’ needs to those in decision making regarding women’s reproductive health care. They are the most important frontline health worker during the critical period of labor, delivery and postdelivery for a mother, her newborn, family and broader society.
Kenyan midwives demand a comprehensive and integrated approach to revamping the health system
Data shows that achieving universal coverage of midwife-delivered interventions by 2035 could avert 67% of maternal deaths, 64% of newborn deaths, and 65% of stillbirths – ultimately saving 4.3 million lives per year. But midwives need a conducive work environment and supportive healthcare team to ensure that the care for women and birthing persons is optimally delivered. Despite their life-affirming role in providing care for women, midwives— a predominantly female workforce face persistent and gendered struggles in the enjoyment of their economic rights, such as pay inequity, lack of recognition and autonomy in their roles, and a lack of clear career pathway. Midwives are among the least paid healthcare cadre within the health ecosystem of most low and middleincome countries
Midwives Voices Kenya Report 2021
