Dhaka, Stockholm commit to bolster pry healthcare
Both Bangladesh and Sweden governments, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), have reaffirmed their collective commitment to bolstering the role of midwives in primary healthcare and expanding access to quality sexual and reproductive health and maternal and newborn care.
The commitment came at an event held on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, titled “From Commitment to Action: Integrating Midwifery into Primary Health Care to End Preventable Maternal and Newborn Deaths”, held on Thursday.
The event also highlighted Bangladesh’s recent commitment to strengthening its health workforce by creating 25,000 midwifery posts, underscoring the importance of midwives in saving lives.
The discussions brought together government leaders, including Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, cardiologist and vice president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, and senior representatives from United Nations agencies, civil society organisations and development partners.
Participants shared experiences and lessons learned on midwifery education, deployment, governance and financing, and explored opportunities for sustained investment in the health workforce.
“Every woman should have access to a skilled professional midwife as part of her primary health care team, close to where she lives. For Bangladesh, this means deploying midwives nationwide, strengthening communities, health services and referral pathways, and connecting citizens through a modern digital health system,” said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
“Together these steps will help us build a healthy, thriving Bangladesh and this is how we move from commitment to action,” he said.
Sweden reaffirmed its commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights and strengthening health systems and the health workforce.
“Investing in midwives is not only an investment in health. It is an investment in dignity, equality, opportunity and our common future. It means safer pregnancies, safer births. More mothers and newborns surviving and thriving. Midwives save lives. Let’s continue to invest in them,” said Maria Malmer Stenergard.
UNFPA welcomed Bangladesh’s commitment to creating and deploying 25,000 professional midwifery posts across its primary healthcare system.
Bangladesh is a champion of the UNFPA Midwifery Accelerator initiative, which seeks to strengthen political commitment and investment in midwifery.
Over 50 countries have joined the initiative and developed Maternal and Newborn Health Acceleration Plans, with dozens actively coordinating priority actions through 2030.
“Midwives bring hope, life, and vital care to women when they need it most. Amid a critical global health worker shortage, Bangladesh’s investment in midwives is an investment in humanity. When we equip and empower these frontline heroes, we build a safer, healthier world for every mother and child,” said UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita.
