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“Ever on duty in uniform, offers the best patients care, and has a good attitude towards work.” Those were the good words said about Ajok Sophie Becky at the Midwifery Award ceremony that took place on Thursday 28 November at the Residence of the Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda, H.E. Per Lindgärde.

For the fifth year in a row, since 2015, the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda, with partners including Ministry of Health, The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and Reach A Hand in Uganda (RAHU) have organized the Midwifery Award ceremony to recognize midwives who have demonstrated outstanding service while on duty. This year, 15 midwives serving in different facilities across Uganda were recognized.

Recognizing their dedication, H.E. Lindgärde said that: “despite operating under challenging circumstances with limited resources and understaffing, midwives play a crucial role in improving Uganda’s health indicators and reducing maternal and child mortality rates.”

Reflecting on the ICPD25 Summit that was held in Nairobi early November where countries made commitments to accelerate efforts to ensure zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, zero violence against women and girls by 2030, Mr. Alain Sibenaler, the UNFPA Representative in Uganda said that midwives are at the center in ensuring the delivery of an integrated package of rights.

“A midwife is the main caregiver of mothers to ensure safe delivery of babies; she is a key promoter of health in communities, ensuring provision of family planning and adolescent health services,” said Mr. Sibenaler.

The Minister of Health, Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng, who was the chief guest at the Award ceremony linked the increase in skilled birth attendance from 57 percent in 2011 to 74 percent in 2016 to the reduction in maternal mortality ratio from 438 to 336 death per 100,000 live births (UDHS, 2016).

“Midwives whether rural or urban deliver not only a safe services but also hope for a health nation,” said Hon. Aceng. “I want to commend the midwives that are receiving the awards today and call on all the other midwives to emulate the examples of their colleagues.”

The midwives who received the award were selected following a national nomination process and deliberations by district, regional and national award committees. Find more here: https://uganda.unfpa.org/en/publications/celebrating-midwives-%E2%80%93-...