Midwife shortage costs over a million lives annually

A million mothers and newborns are dying each year because of a shortage of midwives across the developing world.

KABUL: Over a million mothers and newborn babies are dying each year from easily prevented birth complications because of a chronic shortage of midwives across much of the developing world, a new report from Save theChildren said on Friday.

In the world's least developed countries over half of

mothers give birth without any trained help -- compared with

only one percent in Britain -- and some 2 million women face one

of the most frightening days in their life entirely alone.

Some 1,000 mothers and 2,000 newborns die every day as a

result. Another 350,000 trained professionals are needed to save

their lives, the "Missing Midwives" report said.

"It doesn't have to be complicated: someone who knows how to

dry a baby properly and rub its back to help it breathe can make

the difference between life and death," said Save the Children

Chief Executive Justin Forsyth.

"No mother should face giving birth without help."

Of the 8 million children who die each year before the age

of five, one in ten do not even see the end of their first day.

But midwives trained in just eight procedures, including

keeping newborns warm and fed, could immediately cut newborn

deaths by more than a third in the 68 countries with the worst

neonatal mortality rates, the report said.

History suggests these deaths can be avoided. British Prime

Minister David Cameron has highlighted how the introduction of a

British national midwifery programme in the 1930s cut maternal

deaths 80 percent over 15 years.

Some developing countries are now fighting for or have won

support to roll out similar programmes.

In Afghanistan, which has some of the highest risks to both

mothers and children, the number of rural births attended by

trained professionals rose from 6 percent to 19 percent between

2003 and 2006, Save the Children said.

Around 2,400 midwives have joined the workforce and 300 or

400 more graduate each year -- although at this rate it will

still take time to reach the World Health Organisation's

recommended rate of one midwife for every 175 pregnant women.

But the report also warned that resolving the shortage will

require more than just cash for colleges and training schools.

Working as a midwife is not a very attractive profession in

many areas. Despite demand for their services, midwives in the

developing world are often poorly paid and over-worked, or have

to work in remote or even dangerous places.

And rich countries often attract healthcare workers from

poorer nations -- whether through active recruitment or not --

leaving the neediest women short of midwives.

"We are calling on rich and poor country governments to put

health workers at the heart of their plans," Forsyth said,

seeking strong financial and political support for training and

funding more midwives for developing nations. "Without it, mums and babies will continue to die

needlessly every day."