Amref Health Africa, a leading health organisation, is spearheading an innovative initiative to revolutionise midwifery education through the use of technology.
In an interview monitored on Tuesday in Abuja, media and external relations representative for Amref Health Africa, Ms. Maureen Cherongis unveiled the organisation’s ambitious plan. She revealed that Amref Health Africa aims to elevate over 2000 certificate nurses and midwives to diploma levels by the end of 2024. Central to this transformative endeavour is the digital learning platform, Jibu.
Jibu, accessible through https://jibu.africa/, provides health workers with seamless access to educational content electronically and via mobile devices. Cherongis highlighted how Jibu addresses challenges such as high out-of-pocket expenses and the need for health workers to leave their workstations for face-to-face training. Additionally, she emphasised Jibu’s white labeling capability, which has facilitated the training of over 40 nursing and midwifery schools in Zambia. This feature enables learners to access materials conveniently through self-managed learning platforms.
Cherongis noted that one of Jibu’s significant achievements is overcoming hurdles in areas with limited internet access. The platform allows users to download content for offline learning, ensuring that even in remote locations, midwives can access crucial educational materials.
Speaking about the impact on maternal and newborn health in Africa, Cherongis stressed that by ensuring midwives are well trained, adequately supported, and in sufficient numbers, Amref Health Africa believes that about two-thirds of preventable maternal and newborn deaths can be averted. This underscores the critical role played by Jibu in improving healthcare outcomes and saving lives on the continent.
The innovative approach taken by Amref Health Africa through the Jibu platform represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges faced in midwifery education. By leveraging technology, Amref Health Africa aims not only to enhance access to education but also to contribute to the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality rates.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the first month of life poses the highest risk for child survival, with 2.3 million newborn deaths in 2022. Despite a 44 per cent decrease in neonatal deaths since 2000, almost half of all under-5 deaths occurred within the first 28 days of life, requiring intensified intrapartum and newborn care.
Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 57 per cent of under-5 deaths but only 30 percent of global live births, with the highest neonatal mortality rate globally at 27 deaths per 1000 live births. Premature birth, birth complications, neonatal infections and congenital anomalies are the primary causes of neonatal deaths. Quality care during and immediately after birth significantly reduces neonatal mortality, with midwife-led continuity of care associated with a 16 per cent decrease in infant loss and a 24 per cent reduction in pre-term births.
