By: J. Saye Suah
Barclayville, Grand Kru County, Liberia – February 17, 2025 – The Ministry of Health (MOH), through the Grand Kru County Health Team, recently concluded a three-day intensive training session for 37 traditional midwives. The training aimed to reduce maternal complications and promote facility-based deliveries within the county.
This initiative underscores the MOH’s commitment to eradicating maternal deaths during childbirth in Grand Kru County. Dr. Macnixon Tokpah, Acting County Health Officer, explained that the training focused on reinforcing the importance of hospital deliveries and raising awareness about the risks associated with home births. The goal is to increase birth attendance at clinics and health centers throughout the county.
“This capacity-building training will further strengthen the roles of traditional midwives in advancing the health sector,” Dr. Tokpah stated. He also cautioned pregnant women against relying solely on traditional medicine and urged them to seek care at hospitals and clinics.
Dr. Tokpah emphasized the crucial role of trained traditional midwives in their communities, noting their responsibility to educate pregnant women about the benefits of facility-based deliveries. He acknowledged the seven maternal and infant deaths recorded in the county in recent years, expressing sadness over these losses and the County Health Team’s determination to prevent such tragedies in 2025.
The training, held at the County Health Team compound and Barclayville City Hall, covered the importance of trained traditional midwives promoting births at nearby clinics or hospitals. Dr. Tokpah reiterated the focus on hospital deliveries to ensure the well-being of mothers and their babies.
Following the training, participants received bags, rain boots, and raincoats as a form of motivation and to support their work. Dr. Tokpah expressed his expectation that the trained midwives would collaborate with other health workers in their respective areas to promote healthy deliveries.
Participants expressed gratitude for the training, highlighting its importance in protecting the health of women during childbirth. They acknowledged the County Health Team’s efforts in empowering them with the necessary knowledge and skills to combat maternal deaths. The training also included education on the importance of nutrition for pregnant women, such as consuming greens, cassava leaves, and eddoes.
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