is happy to promote this incredible project at our celebration. UBC student midwives and the midwifery program at UBC, have dedicated a great deal of personal energy and resources to this project. We hope to make a significant contribution by way of this evening’s celebration and fundraiser.

This article appeared in the Vancouver Courier, April 25, 2007.
UBC midwifery students sign on for African expedition
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Midwifery Students for Global Citizenship

The Midwifery Division at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has created a global midwifery placement option for students. Midwifery has developed international relationships in Mexico, Pakistan, Holland, Uganda & Zambia. Currently, Zambia and Uganda are the focus of yearly placements, and relationships between UBC Midwifery and several rural and urban hospitals are being developed. A faculty member and a family physician accompany the students for part of their practicum and then local midwives, nurses and physicians continue supervision.

Students who participate learn about health care systems in other countries, and work with midwives and physicians from other cultures. Students attend normal births and experience the ways that health care workers deal with normal and difficult births in a low-resource settings. These skills are especially relevant to UBC Midwifery students as they prepare to respond to the critical shortage of skilled maternity providers in rural and remote areas of British Columbia. In exchange, students and faculty share ways of practice taught at the University of British Columbia with the global midwifery community. The Global Midwifery rotation lasts 6 to 8 weeks and takes place at the end of the 3rd year of midwifery education. Formal orientation to the Global Midwifery rotation, and follow-up debriefing and presentations to students and the public are part of the program.

Maternal mortality is high in both rural Zambia and Uganda. Over 725 per 100,000 women die in childbirth. There are few trained attendants to assist women in childbirth, and transportation problems as well as social customs prevent many women from attending health centers and hospitals for deliveries. Those who attend hospitals for delivery often have risk factors and complications rarely seen in Canadian midwifery practice. UBC students may also assist in refresher courses for midwives to provide updates in intrapartum and newborn care or at workshops for traditional birth attendants.

In the past year midwifery faculty, students, friends and family raised over $7,000.00 to purchase equipment and supplies which are scarce in Zambian and Ugandan hospitals. These donations were gratefully received and the monies were used to purchase gloves, urinary and IV catheters, delivery kits, fetoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and stethoscopes, a doppler, hospital mattresses, medications, and knitted baby clothing. Students return energized by their global experience and have a deeper understanding about women’s health issues, women’s rights and birthing practices, and with new friendships across borders.

If you would like to learn more about the Midwifery Students for Global Citizenship Fund and other initiatives please visit the Midwifery website at:
http://www.midwifery.ubc.ca/donations.html