"Safe Birth" in 300 villages .. A Somali project to train midwives

Mogadishu / Nur Gedi / Anatolia

In an effort to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Somalia, local authorities have launched a project to train traditional midwives in cities and rural areas to raise awareness and provide reproductive health services. .

Fifteen traditional midwives recently participated in a course organized by the "Somali Youth for Integrity", which lasted about two weeks.

Midwives came from all parts of Somalia, including western Somalia controlled by Ethiopia.

One of the 12 Somali pregnant women is at risk of dying from pregnancy-related complications and not going to health centers early in pregnancy.

** Low health awareness

"The decrease in health awareness in Somalia, especially in remote areas, has contributed significantly to the increase in maternal and neonatal mortality rates due to the lack of necessary health care during pregnancy," he said. said Diqa Adam, gynecologist and head of the local Hajril organization, which implements the training project.

"The causes of maternal mortality could be avoided if they had access to health centers and sensitized cities and remote areas to health, as well as monitoring from early pregnancy to birth. so as not to risk dying, "she said.

She explained that this course "aims to provide Somali women with safe reproductive health through the training of midwives in rural areas, and to introduce them to modern methods of safe delivery, especially in difficult cases of childbirth ".

** Death to the guillotine

Halima Mahmoud Ali, a gynecologist and trainer, said, "Birth has become a death directive for Somali mothers because of their attachment to a traditional culture that encourages them to use the skills of midwives rather than health centers. concerned, who have every opportunity to give birth if their life is in danger ".

Halima added to Anatolia: "Since this traditional culture prevails in society, with an increase in the mortality rate of pregnant women even in cities, the education of the traditional midwife is urgent to avoid the continuation of the maternal mortality."

** Cultural Heritage

The traditional midwife is an important reference for the birth of many Somali families, despite the proliferation of hospitals in major cities.

This situation increases the mortality rate among women, prompting local organizations to work to rehabilitate midwives to reduce the risk of death for mothers.

"Traditional midwives have done a lot for Somali mothers in recent decades, despite their limited potential," said Fatima Hassan, a traditional midwife for 30 years in the central Shabelle region.

"The courses for traditional midwives will change many perceptions of childbirth, which will reduce mortality among women and offer them guidance throughout their pregnancy," Fatima told Anatolia.

According to local agencies, 55% of pregnant women use traditional midwives from isolated areas and some cities, which increases maternal mortality due to pregnancy-related complications, such as anemia and internal bleeding. .

** Lack of health services

The majority of Somali rural areas do not have access to health services, which has worsened women's health status since the beginning of their pregnancy, putting their lives at the mercy of unqualified midwives. in a situation that often ends in the death of the mother or fetus.

Habiba Adam, a 25-year-old midwife in southwestern Pai province, said pregnant women trusted traditional birth attendants.

In an interview with Anatolia, he said that "the lack of health awareness, the lack of health centers in rural areas and their crazy prices, if any, while the cost of the traditional midwife is low".

Halima Bilal, seven months pregnant, told Anatolia: "I gave birth to four children with traditional birth attendants, which is the case for many pregnant women." I have never been to health centers to monitor my condition during my pregnancy. "

"When my eldest son was born, my life was in danger, I lost consciousness for hours because of my intractable situation, which was attended by several midwives," she said.

** man or woman ?

The small amount paid by the traditional midwife at birth is the leading cause of maternal mortality.

The contrast is different if the child is a man or a woman, which has led the midwives to remain attached to women while the workers seemed to be men, even in difficult cases, which led to life mothers because of the return.

Fees vary from one midwife to another in rural areas: 600,000 Somali shillings (30 dollars) on average if the child is a man and 400,000 shillings (20 dollars) if it is a wife.

According to the Midwifery Rehabilitation Project, it is planned to provide a "safe delivery" service to some 300 villages within a year.The information published on the official Anatolian information page is an abbreviation of some of the information presented to subscribers via the Information Flow System (HAS). To register at the agency, please contact the following link.