Mortality of mothers, children getting reduced: Ministry

Addis Ababa, September 19, 2012 (WIC)  - The Ministry of Health said mortality of mothers and children is getting reduced from time to time in Ethiopia due to prime attention given to increase access to nursing and midwifery in the country.

Speaking at the opening of Annual Africa/Asia/ Caribbean Midwifery Program Mid-Year Review and Technical Capacity building Workshop here Tuesday, Health State Minister Kebede Worku said currently mortality of mothers and children is now reduced to 40 per cent from 64 per cent in 1990.

Dr. Kebede said the government has established 15 health science colleges, which have capacity to train 4800 midwives every three year as part of the efforts to increase accessibility of nursing and midwifery in the country.

He said the government has put in place strategy to increase the number of midwives to 8635 in 2015 from the present 4,669. UNFPA Representative Ethiopia,

According to ENA, Dr. Benoit Kalasa on the occasion said the number of midwives has now increased to 4,669 from 1275 in 2008. The four-day workshop involves 30 countries from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.