WOMEN DIVIDED ON MALE MIDWIVES

WOMEN DIVIDED ON MALE MIDWIVES

…It’s as if female midwives studied how to shout – mother

By Ludia Ngwadzai

THE role of male midwives in Zambia’s healthcare system has become a topic of robust debate among women

Some have expressed discomfort with the idea of being attended to by men during childbirth while others have praised them as caring and compassionate.

Random interviews conducted by The Mast around Lusaka exposed a wide gulf between modern healthcare service delivery and tradition, which could pose a serious barrier to life-saving reproductive healthcare service.

Mary Kambunga, a 32-year-old mother of two from Ng’ombe Compound, is one of those who hold the view that allowing men to handle child birth is intrusion into their dignity because they felt violated.

Kambunga said it was  against Zambian culture for men to be involved in childbirth.

“They shouldn’t be allowed to study midwifery. Midwifery should be for females only,” she said.

Kambunga said the course of midwifery should not overlook the culture of being African.

“It just doesn’t feel right. I am a married woman. Why should another man see my nakedness? We need fellow women to attend to us during childbirth,” she said.

But in a separate interview, Tisa Banda, a 28-year-old mother of three from the same community, gave a different perspective.

“I had a great experience with a male midwife during my second delivery,” Banda said.

“He was very caring and gentle. I don’t see why some women are opposed to male midwives.”

She described the male midwives as the most caring regarding childbirth.

Females tended to be bitter with fellow women.

“The female midwives always shout at us during the labour process. It is as if they studied shouting. But for the males, they are like angels,” Banda said.

Mundia Mundia of Kanyama Township, a street vendor who trades on Lumumba Road, said she had preferred to give birth in the village because she did not want a male midwife to attend to her during labour as was the case during her first delivery.

“I had told those people that I was not comfortable being looked at and touched by a man who was not my husband but they went ahead. I still feel embarrassed and violated,” Mundia  said.

“In my village, the midwife is a woman. So e ach time I  am near labour, I travel to the village to go and give birth there. Not here where they  allow men to be touching and seeing the nakedness of women who  are not their wives. I now have four children.”

Her fellow vendor, Letisia Mukange, 34,  agreed with her.

“I will not allow it if possible. But they force these people on us knowing that we do not h ave the powers to refuse to be seen  and handled by  a strange man,” Mukange said.

Beauty Mweemba,  a 40-year-old mother of six of Matero Township, appealed to government to change the policy that  allows men to train  as midwives.

“Why did they bring this thing of male midwives? We  are  afric ans. We should not just be copying these things anyhow. Men must be attending t to fellow men. Women must handle us when we are giving birth,” Mweemba said.

But in Rhodes Park, a mother of three who only wanted to be identified  as D s aid there w as  a need to educ  ate women to understand that when m ale midwives were doing their work they should not be viewed  as men but  as workers  and professionals.

“I think it’s an issue of ignorance. Why do they allow doctors to examine them and even carry our operations to bring out the baby when there is  a complication?” D wondered.

But she  advised  authorities to take into consideration of cultural f actors when implementing some sensitive policies in the health sector.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Zambia has a high maternal mortality ratio, with 252 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.

To address this issue, the country has been working to strengthen its healthcare system, including increasing access to skilled birth attendants.

Currently, Zambia has over 6,000, with a significant majority being female.

However, the country is facing a shortage of midwives, with a ratio of one midwife per 1,000 births, far below the WHO-recommended ratio of one midwife per 100 births.

Health experts believe the involvement of male midwives could help alleviate the shortage and improve access to maternal healthcare services.

However, cultural and traditional factors have contributed to a perception that midwifery is a female-dominated profession.

This h as driven m any expecting mothers to traditional methods, which could be risky.