Midwives face daily challenges

MIDWIVES faced huge challenges every day in the 80s and 90s and sometimes are left devastated when they watched women die during pregnancy or childbirth, an official says.
Southern Highlands health authority director nursing services Anna Anda said there were no proper facilities in the maternity wards then and midwives did the best they could to save the lives of mothers and babies.
Anda and eight midwives at the Mendi Hospital joined nurses from rural areas at the maternity ward to celebrate a soldier’s 27th birthday last Wednesday.
Billy Begamann from Rabaraba village in Milne Bay was born at the hospital in 1992. He visited the maternity ward to thank the midwives.
“Very few people remember the hard work of midwives and return to thank them. Begamann is the first man to visit the ward with his birthday cake to celebrate with the midwives,” Anda said.
“This made the midwives happy as they know that there are some people who appreciate their work.
His job has brought him back to the province and it is a privilege for us (midwives) to celebrate with him.”
Sister Anna Tikili said Begamann visited the maternity ward on Tuesday to tell the nurses of what he was planning.
Every day, more than 800 women die from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth.
According to the World Health Organisation, 99 per cent of these deaths occurred in developing countries, particularly among women living in poorer rural communities.