WHO CC involvement: Professor Caroline Homer
Strengthening midwifery is a priority on the regional and global health development agenda as investments in this area are considered to be the most cost effective solution contributing to meeting global sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health initiatives especially moving towards Global Health 2030. The State of the World’s Midwifery 2014 was commissioned by WHO, UNFPA and ICM to explore the barriers, challenges and solutions to the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality (AAAQ) of midwifery services in 73 low to middle income countries. Professor Caroline Homer was part of the Core Writing Team.
In the South Pacific Region, only Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands were included in SoWMy2014. This means that there is little known on the state of midwifery in the other small South Pacific Island countries.
WHO CC UTS is exploring the current situation of the education, regulation and association of midwives in 12 small Pacific island countries to determine the gaps in these areas.