The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) released a report titled “The State of the World’s Midwifery 2022: East and Southern Africa”.

Key findings

• Around 1.2 million lives can be saved each year in East and Southern Africa by 2035 if there is universal coverage of midwife-delivered interventions.
• This achievement depends on midwives gaining access to better education and training as well as comprehensive and supportive workplace regulations.
• A strong midwifery workforce is vital for successfully achieving UNFPA strategies for improving sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health (SRMNAH).
• The report studied the status of midwifery in all 23 countries in the UNFPA East and Southern Africa (ESA) region.