Midwifery

It is an old-age health practice mostly performed by elderly women in rural areas who assisted pregnant women in the course of delivery. With time it grew to become a formal healthcare practice with trained personnel. However, the practice was later on neglected as it was assumed that nurses could faithfully look after pregnant women. But with the growing rate of infant mortality and maternal mortality there is an increasing awareness around the profession of midwifery with a rise in demand both nationally and internationally for skilled workers to look after pregnant women and assist them in the delicate process of child birth. It may sound like everyday health profession that can be performed by any health personnel, but midwifery is a specialty on its own opened to both men and women who have a special for the child-bearing process.

Structure of studies and duration

The programme is purely a health science discipline and opened to holders of the Higher National Diploma (HND) in midwifery or its equivalent from a recognized institution. It runs for two semesters of an academic year comprising of theory and practical sessions as well as a supervised internship in a hospital, health centre or clinic. Each student would also defend an end of course project as requirements for the award of a Bachelor Degree in Midwifery supervised and delivered by the government mentoring institution, the University of Bamenda and recognized by the Ministries of Higher Education and Public Health.

Employment Opportunities

Midwives can work in maternities, health centres, hospitals, NGOs in the domain of health and childcare and they can as well open their own health facility.

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