MIDWIZE leadership and innovation program - fifth year started on September the 5th

We had the privilege to meet with the 28 new participants enrolled in the MIDWIZE program recently. The focus of the program is to enhance the successful implementation of evidence-based midwife-led improvements in maternal and child health care in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. The participants are in leading positions at clinical level but also from policy and education, all in line with the MIDWIZE conceptual framework which is the theoretical foundation for the program. 

"The program starts with the module "Implementing strategies in health care settings" when the participants achieve some tools and get to know each other. They have already started working in country groups and I see daily chats in their WhatsApp groups where they communicate and plan for the scale-up project. 

In November, we will provide training workshops on-site and we are eagerly waiting to see them all and work hands-on together for the benefit of women, babies and families!" 

- Helena Lindgren, MIDWIZE program leader

Meet our program participants

We recently had the chance to speak with one of our program participants - Rosette Florence Birungi, Public health specialist, and she shared some of her thoughts and motivations for applying:

"I purposefully enrolled in the MIDWIZE program to enhance my understanding of Quality Improvement (QI). This decision was driven by MIDWIZE's focus on implementing evidence-based practices through the Quality Improvement methodology. What sets MIDWIZE apart is its unique approach as a midwife-led QI intervention, recognizing the pivotal role midwives play in the care of birthing women. Moreover, MIDWIZE specifically targets WHO MNH Quality of Care (QoC) standards 5 and 6, which are directly linked to the provision of respectful maternity care, a key priority for the Ministry of Health in Uganda.

I am eager to acquire knowledge and expertise in implementing a comprehensive set of evidence-based practices for birthing women, quality improvement strategies, and empowering midwives to take the lead in executing interventions, working with front-line health workers test and implement to scale the effective changes."

- Rosette Florence Birungi, MIDWIZE program participant