The National Association of Registered Midwives –Ghana (NARM-Gh) on Thursday commenced a two-day Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme for some selected midwives in the Upper East Region.

The initiative is to add up to the knowledge base of the professionals and it formed part of strategies adopted by the NARM-Gh to help update the knowledge and skills of midwives on current trends in the field of midwifery practice across the country.

Speaking at the opening of the programme, Madam Mary Ofosu, the Acting General Secretary of NARM-Gh, noted that the programme was designed, implemented and managed by the Association.

She said the Association secured accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to run the CPD programmes to upgrade the knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues in midwifery practice.

She said participants would be awarded certificates to enable them renew their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) as professionals.

“The principal reason why NARM-Gh is formed is to ensure that there is respect and recognition for the midwife who for a very long time has been treated as a sub-professional.”

She said even though midwives in Ghana had achieved a lot through the efforts of the Association, it was the desire of the NARM-Gh to build the capacities of members to take up leadership positions.

The Acting General Secretary recalled that “It is for this reason that early this year, a two-day comprehensive leadership programme was organized for selected leaders from all regions and Teaching Hospitals.”

She told the midwives that the leadership programme would continue until every member became proficient in all matters related to their practice and leadership, and appealed to participants at the training programme to take the lectures and discussions seriously to achieve the intended purpose.

Madam Janet Dagero, a Midwife at the Shia Health Centre in the Talensi District and a participant at the programme, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that “This particular workshop is indeed helpful to us the midwives in the Upper East Region”.

She said there were new innovations in the practice of their profession, and the programme was a refresher course, which was necessary in midwifery practice and health service delivery as a whole.

A male midwife, Mr Richard Sodana at the Kotintabra Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound, said the programme was beneficial, especially to his colleagues who rendered services in rural areas, to improve on Antenatal and Postnatal Services at the CHPS centres.