By Wallace Mawire
On the occasion of the 2026 International Day of the Midwife, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), alongside the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), the Embassy of Sweden, and the Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives (ZICOM), converged at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) to advocate for urgent, increased investments in the midwifery profession.
Commemorated under the global theme, “One Million More Midwives,” this year’s event casts an urgent spotlight on the critical shortage of healthcare professionals needed to secure maternal and newborn safety. According to the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), ensuring safe, high-quality care requires closing a massive global deficit, with a targeted milestone to achieve workforce adequacy by 2035.
Midwives are on the front lines of safe motherhood and newborn health; when well-supported in both development and humanitarian crises, they can deliver 90 percent of essential sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services.
In a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Minister S.Kwidini the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr. Douglas Mombeshora said the Government of Zimbabwe recognizes that midwives are the bedrock of our maternal and newborn health system.
“We are committed to increasing our investment in training, fair compensation, and retention of midwives, as outlined in our Health Workforce Strategy and Investment Compact, he said. “This commitment is a deliberate, cost-effective strategy to achieve our goal of ending preventable maternal deaths and ensuring safer motherhood for every woman and newborn in Zimbabwe.”
The drive for one million more midwives aligns directly with UNFPA’s mandate to achieve three transformative results: ending preventable maternal deaths, ending the unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices. Investment in midwives as a key pillar is a cost-effective and a sustainable strategy to improve maternal and newborn health and well-being and reduce mortality. Every $1 invested in midwifery yields up to $16 in social and economic gains.
“The UNFPA Midwifery Programme Strategy (2017-2030) underscores the critical need for investing in midwives including strengthening their skills and competencies,” said UNFPA Representative Ms. Miranda Tabifor. “Through programmes such as the Health Resilience Fund and the Maternal and Newborn Fund, UNFPA continues to support the Ministry of Health and Child Care with pre-service and in-service midwifery training to ensure the availability of skilled birth attendants. We will continue investing in this area.”
The Health Resilience Fund is funded by the Governments of Britain, Ireland and Sweden.
A key highlight of the 2026 commemoration at United Bulawayo Hospitals was the exhibition of digital health innovations, specifically the electronic partograph. This technology allows midwives to perform real-time, precise monitoring of maternal and fetal well-being during labor, ensuring rapid, life-saving clinical interventions when seconds matter most.
The celebrations culminated in the Midwives Recognition Initiative, a joint effort supported by the Embassy of Sweden to honor exemplary midwives. Exceptional midwives selected from all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe received awards for their unwavering dedication to protecting mothers and newborns, often under challenging frontline conditions.
“We are really honoured to be contributing towards the recognition of the outstanding midwives,” said Swedish Ambassador to Zimbabwe HE Per Lingarde. “It is our hope that this small token of appreciation will go a long way in motivating all midwives to continue giving their best. Let the smiles of mothers after delivery and the cry of newborn babies inspire you. We Urge the Government of Zimbabwe and stakeholders to invest more in the training, fair compensation and retention of Midwives and other healthcare workers.”
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Its mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
