In Ndegeya, Uganda, a transformation in maternal healthcare is taking place led by Miriam Masembe, a dedicated midwife whose passion for mothers and babies is transforming lives.
"I see every birth as a miracle," says Miriam, who has been serving at the Mother and Child Care Centre for nine months. Her journey to midwifery was inspired by her elder sister, a nurse, and her innate love for newborns.
After two and a half years of rigorous training at Kabale School of Comprehensive Nursing, Miriam entered the field where experience has deepened her expertise. Now, she stands as a guardian for expectant mothers, ensuring they receive essential services for healthy pregnancies and safe deliveries.
Bridging Tradition and Modern Medicine
The path to improved maternal health in Ndegeya hasn't been straightforward. Miriam notes that traditional pregnancy care methods once prevalent in the community exposed women to significant risks. Through persistent health education during antenatal visits, midwives like Miriam have dramatically reduced maternal and infant mortality rates.
"When a mother trusts us with her care, she's not just protecting herself but also giving her child the best possible start," Miriam explains. This trust has been hard-won, as women increasingly seek medical advice and implement the guidance they receive.
Challenges Beyond the Delivery Room
Despite progress in medical care, Miriam witnesses daily the broader struggles women face. From irresponsible partners who abandon their responsibilities to employers reluctant to hire mothers, women's challenges extend far beyond childbirth.
"Some women come to us not just with physical ailments but carrying the weight of broken marriages, domestic violence, and economic hardship," Miriam reveals. She sees firsthand how poor economic conditions prevent mothers from accessing adequate care and nutrition, sometimes resulting in birth complications.
Particularly troubling to Miriam is the ongoing denial of education to young women, forcing many into early marriages and perpetuating cycles of dependency and poverty.
Accelerating Action: What the Theme Means to Miriam
Technology as an Ally
Miriam embraces technology as a crucial partner in her work. Ultrasound scanning allows her team to detect fetal abnormalities early and monitor development. Advances in neonatal care have dramatically improved survival rates for premature babies and those born with health challenges. Surgical technologies have saved countless mothers who cannot deliver vaginally. She said with pride:
"What was impossible just a generation ago is now routine because of technology,"
A Message to Future Midwives and All Women
To young women considering midwifery, Miriam's advice is clear: "Love and passion must come first. Commitment to learning must precede any financial considerations."
Her message to all women resonates with hope and determination: "Never lose hope, whatever you're going through. For young women with educational opportunities, embrace them fully—education is one of the most powerful tools a woman can possess."
Miriam urges women not to be defined by their past difficulties but to move forward for their mental wellbeing. "Women are powerful beings," she concludes. "They should never underestimate themselves at any point."
As she continues her vital work at Ndegeya Mother and Child Care Centre, Miriam Masembe embodies this year's theme by accelerating action every day—one mother, one child, one miracle at a time.
