ICM: 3000 midwives gather to tackle maternal mortality and morbidity

Midwives from over 111 countries will gather today at the International Confederation of Midwives Triennial Congress in Durban, South Africa. They will call for governments worldwide to take the necessary steps to end to needless deaths of women in pregnancy and childbirth. Congress will start with an inaugural rally .and march at 1.30pm on the 18th June, when 1000 Congress delegates and supporters will walk for 5km through the city. This is the first time ICM has held a Congress in Africa. The event and the march represent a show of solidarity with mothers and midwifery colleagues across a continent which has some of the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in the world. According to global estimates around 364,000 women die in pregnancy and childbirth each year. 99% of these deaths occur in low resource countries.

Congress delegates will be joined by high profile maternal health advocates, including the First Ladies of Kenya and Malawi and will participate in a comprehensive peer reviewed scientific programme. The programme will include key contributions from global agencies including the United Nations, the Gates Foundation, the Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians alongside individual experts in clinical midwifery practice and policy. The programme has been organised by the South African Midwives' Association and aims to strengthen the capacity of midwives to tackle the five major causes of maternal mortality worldwide

For details please visit: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/17/idUS114151+17-Jun-2011+HUG20110617