Afghanistan is one of the riskiest places on earth for the health of mothers and children. Midwives are critical to the health and survival of mothers and their newborns. In partnership with USAID, Save the Children has started a school for midwives in Shiberghan, Afghanistan for midwifery training.
In Afghanistan, only 14 percent of births are attended by skilled personnel and maternal and child mortality rates are among the highest in the world. Afghan women face a 1 in 8 risk of dying from complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and 1 child in 5 dies before reaching age 5.
Trained midwives are the key saving more mothers and newborns in Afghanistan.
Since 2002, some 2,400 midwives have been trained. The number of women in rural Afghanistan whose deliveries are attended by skilled personnel has increased from 6% to 19%, the report says. On average, the midwifery training class supports 20 midwives;. bear this in minda"each midwife delivers a MINIMUM of six babies per year and works for on average 10 years after graduation. That's at least 60 healthy babies for every midwife trained
