Govt commits to recruiting 25,000 midwives: Health minister
Government considers investment in midwifery not an expense but an effective national investment that can reduce maternal and newborn deaths.
The government is committed to raising health expenditure to 5% of GDP and recruiting 25,000 midwives into the public healthcare system over the next few years, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has said.
He made the remarks at a ministerial roundtable in Berlin, Germany, today (11 October), titled "Accelerating Midwifery and Health Security through South-South Partnerships: From Crisis to Resilience".
The minister said midwives play a vital role in ensuring safe, dignified and life-saving healthcare for mothers and newborns. They can improve antenatal care, safe childbirth, emergency medical referrals and postnatal services.
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The government considers investment in midwifery not an expense but an effective national investment that can reduce maternal and newborn deaths and lower overall healthcare costs, he said.
Sakhawat Husain announced that 62 educational institutions were modernising their infrastructure to enhance the quality of midwifery education. Initiatives were also under way to expand hands-on training, introduce simulation-based learning and integrate technology into education.
He stressed the importance of regional cooperation in addressing shortages of healthcare workers. Bangladesh is strengthening knowledge-sharing, exchanges of teaching staff and joint training programmes with Nepal and Pakistan, he said.
The minister also praised development partners, particularly the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), for their contributions to expanding maternal and reproductive healthcare services.
He emphasised the crucial role of midwives in providing life-saving maternal healthcare during emergencies, particularly in climate-related disasters and humanitarian operations for Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar.
The government remains committed to strengthening midwives' skills and continuing investment in the profession to protect women and children and safeguard the country's future economic development, he added.
