Midwifery professionals from Women’s Wellness and Research Center, Al Wakra and Al Khor hospitals and The Cuban Hospital, celebrated this year’s International Day of the Midwives (IDM) under the theme: “Together again: from evidence to reality”.
They have again this year joined the global midwife community to advance the profession of midwifery globally by promoting autonomous midwives as the most appropriate caregivers for childbearing women and in keeping birth normal, in order to enhance the reproductive health of women, their newborns and their families.
The ceremony held at the Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Center, was attended by HMC senior leaders comprising, Ali al-Janahi, acting assistant managing director and chief of Tertiary Care Group, Dr Abdulla al-Ansari, chief medical officer, Dr Hilal Amin al-Rifai, WWRC chief executive officer and medical director, Mariam al-Mutawwa, acting chief nursing and midwifery officer, Saadiya al-Hebail, A/executive director of nursing, WWRC and ACC, Dr Nabeela al-Meer, dean of College of Nursing, Qatar University.
The event featured a variety of activities showcasing the success and expansion of midwifery in Qatar. Abstract presentations, research and personal stories from women enriched the event, illuminating the vital role of midwifery in women's healthcare. Al-Hebail said the goal of these activities was to continuously improve skills and knowledge of nurses and midwives, ensuring high-quality patient care and promoting evidence-based practice within the HMC network.
The celebration also offered a platform for expressing gratitude towards midwives across HMC, with leaders like al-Mutawa, emphasising their extended societal roles. Dr al-Rifai commended the midwives' significant contributions to maternal and newborn health, recognising their resilience and commitment in overcoming challenges. He lauded their role in humanising the childbirth experience.
The event served as a testament to the fruitful collaboration between doctors and midwives, as articulated by Dr al-Ansari. Three midwifery-led research projects were presented during the celebration, contributing to the knowledge exchange objective of the event.
“The main purpose of organising different activities as part of our celebrations of the International Midwives Day at HMC was to enable nurses and midwives to continually update and renew their knowledge and skills, enhance evidence-based practice, and ultimately ensure that they are able to meet patient needs and in a constantly changing practice environment,” said al-Hebail.
Women’s Wellness and Research Center (WWRC) has pioneered the first-of-it-kind in Qatar midwifery led antenatal services aimed at normalising pregnancy and birth. Antenatal care, also known as prenatal care, is a type of preventive healthcare to provide regular check-ups that allow doctors or midwives to identify, treat and prevent potential health problems in pregnant women.
“The midwives have been at the forefront of providing this unique antenatal clinic and unit, which is currently located in the labour and delivery ward and caters to women whose pregnancies have remained low risk until they go into labour. Our midwives attached to the MLAC offer support to low risk women during the antenatal period once they are referred from the primary care, private care or other healthcare facilities to the WWRC,” added Soumaya Sellami, director of midwifery.
