Project News

On March 4th, 2013, one of the biggest events in Capacity Development Project for Provision of the Services for Basic Human Needs in Kassala (K-TOP) Health cluster, Village Midwives (VMWs) Festival was held in Girba locality. Suddenly, a long parade appeared in the Girba town. The marching band played music and numerous village midwives walked along. Listening to the music, the neighbor residents gathered one by one, and also followed the parade. The parade stopped at the large open-space. More than 700 people participated in the festival, including State Ministry of Heath, Commissioner of Girba locality, locality health office, Girba hospital, VMWs, Wad El Helew midwifery school students, Secondary school students and Girba community people.

Sudan has a crucial issue in the reproductive health area. Both the maternal mortality rate and neonatal mortality rate shows high figures. For example, in Kassala, the former rate was found to be 244.9 per 100,000 live births (2010) and the latter rate was 31/1,000 normal live births (2006). There are various kinds of reasons to be considered. Some of these reasons are that, on the basis of more than 80% of deliveries occurred inside the house, there are some communities or areas where people do not allow the pregnant mothers to go outside, do not like to use the hospital, and only rely on traditional prayers and do not let the pregnant mothers to take a service from VMWs. It seems that those communities or area people do not know the existence of VMWs or do not understand correctly about them, or have a wrong knowledge about how to care pregnant mothers.

The main purposes of VMWs festival were the followings: 1) to spread the correct knowledge about the role of VMWs and reproductive health; 2) to make community people to appreciate VMWs' activities and enhance the VMWs' motivation; 3) to promote the recruitment of VMWs by local government. As a reproductive health education, the festival picked up "antenatal care" and "danger sign". The role of VMWs starts from teaching a delivery plan before the delivery. There are many things to be taught such as necessary nutrition during pregnancy, to save the money for the sudden referral to hospital, necessary things to be prepared for the delivery and so on. Furthermore, VMWs are able to not only support the pregnant mothers at the moment of delivery, but also find the danger signs in the early stage and recommend the referral to hospital. Every VMW in Sudan are specialists who well-trained and graduated from midwifery schools and earned a license from Ministry of Health.

In the festival, K-TOP health cluster team tried to tell participants who are VMWs, what they can do and what is the necessary care and preparation for delivery through the lecture taught by Director of Girba hospital, song by VMWs, Quiz for secondary school students and the drama play. Participants seemed to be enjoyed those various events in the festival. In the end of the festival, VMWs received appreciation awards (cloth sash).

Moreover, before and after the festival, K-TOP health cluster team conducted awareness activities toward people who are living in a long distance area and not able to attend the festival through mobile cinema and drama play. K-TOP continues the awareness activities, aiming more pregnant mothers become able to have a reproductive health service from VMWs and more babies give the first cry safely.

Suddenly, a big marching of VMWs appeared in Girba town. The marching band leaded the marching with happy music and more neighbor residents started to gather.

In the festival, more than 700 people participated in the festival, including State Ministry of Heath, Commissioner of Girba locality, locality health office, Girba hospital, VMWs, Wad El Helew midwifery school students, Secondary school students and Girba community people.

Quiz for secondary school students. Before the day of festival, those students received a leaf-let regarding reproductive health and the quiz was picked up from it.

Song by VMWs.

Drama Group showed a story for raising awareness of VMWs' role and antenatal care. The story included the knowledge of reproductive health and, at the same time, made up comically. Participants could not stop laughing and enjoyed the play.

In the end of festival, VMWs received appreciation awards (cloth sash) for their daily efforts. (center, Ms. Hiromi Suwa, JICA Expert on maternal and child health program)

(Reported by Mana Jingushi, Project Assistant)