Africa-Press – Lesotho. In commemoration of the International Midwives Day, the Independent Midwives Association of Lesotho (IMAL) visited Motebang Hopital in Leribe where they celebrated with nurses and
midwives and also showered newly born babies with gifts last week. The international Midwives Day is commemorated globally every year on May 5th to honour
midwives for their big contribution towards the health of their nations and to increase awareness about the midwives’ contribution towards their patients all over the world.
Informative
Newspaper had an exclusive interview with IMAL President Keneuoe Fobo who stated that the theme for this year is ‘follow the data and invest in midwives’,which is an ongoing and growing effort to centre midwives as
fundamental to ending preventable maternal and new-born deaths. She also indicated that in their visit to Motebang Hospital they had a dialogue with the
nurses and midwives on challenges as well as their success stories on their day to day duties. She added that they also went to the maternity ward to visit mothers who gave birth from the
previous day up to the day of their visit. “We gave eight healthy new born babies presents (clothes and other baby essentials),” Fobo explained. During the celebration,
present were the Director of Nursing Services Mpoetsi Makau and the Director Primary Health Care Dr. Thabelo Ramatlapeng. Fobo extended that as the association committee they intend to visit a number of health
centres and hospitals especially those in the rural areas, spreading the word on this year’s theme as a way of motivating and encouraging them. She noted
that they also intend on educating people about their association in regard to their mission of reducing maternal mortality rate and raise awareness on the
importance of joining the association. She gave a brief background of the association, saying, “IMAL is an association that registered with the law office in November 2010.
Factors that led to establishment of the association included mainly the realisation that a forum for midwives would enable a well-coordinated and meaningful contribution towards addressing high
maternal and child morbidity and mortality in Lesotho. The association has been housed by Leo Lesotho since 2010 to date. It intends to find its own offices
but as an association that depends on small contributions from its members, the challenge is that of having no physical structure that should be used as an office,
we therefore request for a fabricated house as an advancement,” Fobo said. Meanwhile, in a press statement on the celebration of this day, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative to Lesotho Dr.
Marc Derveeuw said, “… We want to pay particular tribute to all the Midwives in Lesotho and say – We Thank You. We thank you for putting your lives at risk in times of COVID-19 to provide live-saving services
to pregnant mothers in times of hardest needs, for helping to bring new life into the world, and for preventing maternal mortality and stillbirths. ” He said
the theme: ‘follow the data and invest in midwives’, is based on ongoing and growing efforts to centre midwives as unique as essential health workers to ending
preventable maternal and new-born deaths to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Lesotho. Last year was earmarked as an international year of nurses and midwives, “the year for commemoration
and acknowledgement of dedicative work of nurses and midwives, their support and recognition” and the Ministry of Health had called for media cooperation in
broadcasting transparent information regarding nurses’ delivery. The former Deputy Minister of Health (MoH) Hon. ‘Manthabiseng Phohleli had called for
collaboration of nurses, midwives and the media “to partner beyond 2020”, pleading with the media to visit remote places to see how they struggle in an effort to save lives.
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