Too few midwives and other health professionals are getting the education and training they need to provide quality, respectful care to pregnant women and their newborns as well as women needing family planning, treatment of sexually transmitted infections, safe or post abortion care, including perinatal mental health support. A key solution is to invest in the transformation of midwifery education through the first global Interprofessional Midwifery Education Toolkit. The “Toolkit” will bring together in one place education and training materials for maternal, newborn, sexual, reproductive and perinatal mental health for midwives, and others providing elements of midwifery care.
The Essential Childbirth Care Course (ECBC) is focused on the midwifery model of care, which puts women, newborns and their families at the center, ensures continuity of care, and prevents unnecessary interventions, yet ensures lifesaving actions. The ECBC provides innovative, fun, and challenging in-service adult education for the care of healthy women, and their healthy newborns, but is also available as an addition to pre-service education. It supports life-long learning in compassionate midwifery care in all settings, everywhere.
Session plan:
Welcome and Introduction: Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director, Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, and Ageing, WHO Geneva
Opening remarks: Dr Tedros Gabreyesus, WHO Director General
Further remarks: Right Honorable Amanda Milling MP, Minister for Asia and the Middle East, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK
Panel discussion: Facilitated by Fran McConville, Technical Officer Midwifery, WHO Geneva
- Sheena Currie, Jhpiego
- Pragati Sharma, WHO consultant
- Indie Kaur, Fernadez Hospital, India
- Rashmi Aradhya, Laerdal Global Health
- Fatima Gohar, UNICEF
- Kaveri Mayra, WHO consultant
- Florence West, WHO
- Margaret Phiri, WHO consultant Malawi
- Sarah Bar-zeev, UNFPA
Coming soon: The WHO Academy distance learning activities: Elisa Roma, WHO Academy
Remarks from partners:
- Harriet Nayiga, ICM Young Midwife Leader Alumni member
- Dr Mary-Ann Etiebet, AVP, Health Equity Lead, MSD for Mothers
- Sarah Thomsen, Lead Specialist Health and SRHR, Sida
- Robyn Churchill, Maternal Health Team Lead, USAID
- Anna Af Ugglas, Education Lead, Laerdal Global Health
- Janhavi Nilekani, Chairperson and Founder, Aastrika
Closing remarks: Elizabeth Iro, WHO Chief Nurse, and a midwife
This webinar was hosted by the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, and Ageing, WHO Geneva.
