Fundraising to pay for the study, accommodation & essential equipment costs of Liberian women who otherwise could not afford to study to enable them to become midwives. Liberia has an acute shortage of fully qualified midwives. The project helps increase numbers, thus helping reduce mortality rates.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
Liberia has an acute shortage of midwives and among the worst maternal and neo-natal mortality rates in the world. The maternal mortality rate is 661 per 100,000 compared to 7 in the UK. It has just over 200 fully qualified midwives, 1 per 24,500 people compared to 1 per 1845 in the UK. The number declined due to Ebola & civil wars. 44% of women give birth at home without a midwife or birth attendant. HLMT supports initial midwifery training thus increasing the number of qualified midwives.
Solution
HLMT will continue to help solve the problem by funding the essential study expenses of at least two Liberian students each year on a four year midwifery degree course. HLMT has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Phoebe Esther Bacon College of Health Sciences, which is approved by the Liberian Ministry of Health. The first two trainees funded by HLMT complete their four year degree course in June 2024. Each year this will increase the number of qualified midwives and reduce mortality rates.
