On the International Day of the Midwife, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Government of Bangladesh highlighted a critical gap in the nation's healthcare workforce: despite significant progress, the country still requires at least 14,000 additional midwives to reach national health targets.

Under this year’s theme, “The world needs a million more midwives,” celebrations at Dhaka Nursing College underscored the urgency of expanding the workforce. While Bangladesh currently employs over 11,000 licensed midwives, health experts say at least 25,000 are necessary to ensure every union-level health facility is adequately staffed.

Bridging the Gap
The Government of Bangladesh has recently committed to a fresh recruitment drive for health workers, which UNFPA officials believe is a pivotal opportunity to bridge this personnel deficit.

“Across Bangladesh, I have seen midwives working in some of the most challenging conditions, often alone, with limited resources, yet carrying the responsibility of two lives at once,” said Catherine Breen Kamkong, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh. “We must not only expand the number of midwives but ensure they are supported, equipped, and valued.”

Recognizing Excellence and Leadership
The event featured the National Midwives Awards, honoring five practitioners for their exceptional service in hard-to-reach areas and their success in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality.

To ensure the future of the profession, five early-career midwives were inducted into the Young Midwives Leadership Programme. This initiative focuses on strengthening the leadership pipeline to modernize maternal care across the country.

Investing in the Future
The celebrations concluded with a rally attended by government officials, development partners, and practitioners from across the country.

“When we invest in midwives, we invest in healthier families, stronger communities, and a more resilient health system,” Kamkong added, noting that midwives are essential to protecting reproductive rights and changing the health trajectory of rural villages.

The collective call to action remains clear: to ensure no woman is left behind during childbirth, the deployment of midwives to every corner of Bangladesh must remain a top national priority.