As many as 289,000 mothers and some 3 million newborns died in 2013alone, mostly in 73 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America,including Vietnam.

The statistics were shown in thesecond edition of the State of the World’s Midwifery Report titled “ AUniversal Pathway. A Woman's Right to Health”, which was released bythe United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Ministry of PublicHealth in Hanoi on July 2.

The report focuses on the urgentneed to improve the availability, accessibility, acceptability andquality of midwifery services. It also shows the progress and trendsthat have taken place since the inaugural 2011 edition, and alsoidentifies the barriers and challenges to future progress.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Viet Tien highlyvalued recommendations in the report, saying that they will serve as animportant reference for countries to outline relevant policies in thedevelopment of midwifery and maternity services towards 2030.

He called for stronger coordination among governments, domestic andforeign organisations, community partners and the public to improveprenatal, reproductive and infant care, adding that it is aresponsibility of governments and leaders to ensure women’s rights tohealth care.

UNFPA chief representative in VietnamArthur Erken, meanwhile, made it clear that midwives can help avertmaternal and newborn deaths, when they are well-trained, well-equipped,well-supported and empowered.

Produced by the UNFPA, theInternational Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the World HealthOrganisation (WHO) and several other partners, the report was releasedearlier at the ICM Congress in Prague on June 3.-VNA