Midwives often overburdened with non-midwifery tasks: Study
Midwives frequently find themselves performing nursing care and administrative tasks instead of their designated midwifery roles, a recent study conducted by the Brac James P Grant School of Public Health has found.
The study report, released yesterday, reveals that healthcare facilities, especially those in the private sector, more often than not assign midwives a significant portion of nursing care and administrative responsibilities, overshadowing their primary midwifery duties. This trend not only hampers the optimal utilisation of midwifery skills but also places an additional burden on the already demanding role of midwives.
The research, which interviewed 256 midwives from both government and private healthcare organisations, shed light on the challenges faced by midwives and the urgent need for specific positions and greater recognition within private organisations.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The challenges faced by midwives in their workplaces were found to originate from various sources, including patients' family members, false accusations, and pressure to abstain from normal deliveries.
Employers also contributed to these challenges by assigning midwives to non-midwifery tasks and undermining their roles and responsibilities, says the report.
Presenting the findings, Professor Dr Zahidul Quayyum, the lead of the research initiative, emphasised the importance of utilising midwifery skills to enhance safe motherhood and advocated for reforms within the health system.
He also highlighted the potential for midwives to become entrepreneurs in the private sector, providing crucial maternal and neonatal healthcare services.
During the study, the respondent midwives stressed the need for proper job responsibilities and the provision of midwifery services as intended.
They called for increased recruitment of midwives by the government and the establishment of midwifery positions in all hospitals and clinics.
They also emphasised the importance of raising awareness about the profession and its vital role in maternal and neonatal care.
The event where the research findings were presented had Professor Dr Ahmed Mushtaque Raza Chowdhury from Columbia University, New York as the chief guest.
Ahmed Mushtaque stressed the necessity of promoting midwifery as a profession and placing midwives in every union in the country to advance Bangladesh's maternal health goals.
