As Nigeria joins the rest of the World in Marking the International Day of The Midwife, Mrs Toyin Saraki, Wife of the President of the Nigerian Senate has hailed the role of midwives around the world in saving lives of mothers and babies.

At an event held in Abuja on Friday to mark the International Day, Mrs Saraki, Founder of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, said that she was only able to survive child birth because of the role of midwives.

She told a delegation of National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives that midwives played very important role in her life as a mother.

She therefore said that “having benefitted from midwives, I have decided to dedicate the rest of my life to supporting midwives so that other women can benefit.”

She said many women and children have died because of lack of access to midwives and therefore urged governments to invest more in the partnership between midwives, mothers and families in order to save more lives.

“Truly in harnessing the power of midwives within health systems, we are investing to the power of three; of midwives, mothers and families as partners for life, from birth to age.

“Here at the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, we believe that it is the power of three that would change and revolutionise communities, countries and continents.

“The power of three is a well-equipped, respected and trained midwife, a healthy and informed mother and a protected and safe baby.”

The wife of the President of the Senate who was full of praises for the midwives however decried that in spite of their very important role in the society, they were not given the right recognition.

For instance, she challenged mothers all over to globe if they could remember the name of the midwife who assisted them during their child birth.

She went on to stress that women only remember the name of the doctor but quickly forget those of the midwives who were there from antenatal through to delivery and postnatal.

“As essential as a midwife is, we must as nations, policy makers and citizens respect the midwife. Midwives need to be paid their correct salaries, they need to be respected by other healthcare professionals.

“It is important we look after our midwives as they are the first hands to hold and the first eyes to see our babies.

“Today on the International Day of the Midwife, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa will be celebrating with hundreds of midwives.

“We will be hosting midwives and nurses from 92 nursing and midwifery colleges: we will also bring together policy makers, citizens and international organisations to discuss how we can ensure that midwifery and midwives are at the heart of the solutions to maternal and new born health.”

Mrs Saraki went on to launch a Medical Aid Film instructional Video titled: ‘I am a midwife’ to raise awareness of the competencies and capabilities of midwives and midwifery in reproductive health.

In her remark, the President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Mrs Olubunmi Akinsola, commended Mrs Saraki for her role in maternal and child health in Nigeria.

She urged the Wife of the President of the Nigerian Senate not to relent in her efforts geared towards ensuring that more lives are saved during child birth. (NAN)

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