Women and girls of African descent: Celebrating contributions, recognising challenges

25 july 2025 - 16:50:14
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - This Friday marks the first observation of the International Day of Women and Girls of African [...] Full text...

thread Society

Make midwives universally accessible and save millions of lives, WHO urges

19 june 2025 - 05:26:29
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Almost 4.5 million maternal, stillborn and newborn deaths were recorded in 2023. What if there was [...] Full text...

thread Health

WHO calls for global expansion of midwifery models of care

18 june 2025 - 00:07:08
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday released new guidance to help countries adopt and expand midwifery [...] Full text...

thread Health

WHO Director-General, Member States reaffirm commitment to WHO and global health at historic World Health Assembly

31 may 2025 - 15:18:46
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the commitment shown by the Organization’s Member States which, [...] Full text...

thread Health

Aid cuts threaten to roll back progress in ending maternal mortality

07 april 2025 - 07:27:47
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Unprecedented aid cuts are putting global progress to end maternal deaths at risk, three UN agencies [...] Full text...

thread Health

Why investing in women and girls benefits everyone

08 march 2025 - 09:22:20
New York, USA (PANA) – The right to go to school. To join the workforce. The right to vote. To [...] Full text...

thread Gender

Training more nurses to bring quality health care to hard-to-reach communities in Kenya- World Bank Blog (By Dr. Leah Chebet Bii)

12 october 2023 - 16:10:13
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Health workers are the backbone of health systems that meet the needs of their communities. In remote [...] Full text...

thread Health

Rights group urges Togolese authorities to urgently strengthen access to maternal healthcare

31 july 2023 - 08:14:34
Lome, Togo (PANA) - Amnesty International on Monday urged the Togolese authorities to urgently strengthen access to maternal healthcare and reduce [...] Full text...

thread Health

Nyarugusu: How one of the world’s largest refugee camps achieved zero maternal deaths in 2022 (A UNFP feature)

11 april 2023 - 04:52:43
Kigoma, Tanzania (PANA) - Last year, 6,235 women and girls gave birth at Nyarugusu refugee camp. And not one of [...] Full text...

thread Health

WHO renews alert on safeguards for health worker recruitment

14 march 2023 - 13:35:19
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday released an updated WHO health workforce support and safeguards [...] Full text...

thread Health

Delivering justice for abused child brides in The Comoros (A UN feature)

02 october 2022 - 08:06:16
Moroni, The Comoros (PANA) - Around 30 per cent of girls in The Comoros become child brides, and they make [...] Full text...

thread Gender

Coronavirus: ADF approves $27.19 million grant to boost post-pandemid recovery in Ghana

01 july 2022 - 07:16:58
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (PANA) - The African Development Fund (ADF) Board of Directors has approved a US$27.19 million grant to [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN report sounds alarm on acute global shortage of midwives

05 may 2021 - 10:32:39
New York, US (PANA) - The world is currently facing a shortage of 900,000 midwives, with COVID-19 further exacerbating the [...] Full text...

thread Health

New report sounds alarm on global shortage of 900,000 midwives - WHO

04 may 2021 - 21:50:17
New York, United Nations (PANA) - A new World Health Organization report has asserted that fully investing in midwives by [...] Full text...

thread Health

Amid pandemic and unrest, midwives undeterred in saving lives in Conakry

22 january 2021 - 17:01:42
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) – “Our midwives who work during this period of political crisis are brave and courageous because they [...] Full text...

thread Health

Stillbirths: An unnecessary, unspeakable tragedy – UN report

08 october 2020 - 16:08:44
New York, US (PANA) -  A stillborn baby is delivered every 16 seconds, which translates into nearly two million infants [...] Full text...

thread Health

Coronavirus: Pandemic threatens to undo global health progress, WHO warns

14 may 2020 - 05:41:13
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - While more people are living longer and healthier lives, the rate of progress is too slow [...] Full text...

thread Health

Coronavirus: AU salutes nurses killed by global coronavirus pandemic

12 may 2020 - 21:22:21
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has saluted nurses who lost their lives in the line of [...] Full text...

thread Health

Coronavitus: UNFPA gives 10 million CFA Francs for midwifery protection equipment in Congo

06 may 2020 - 10:14:16
Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday donated protective equipment to midwives in Congo's various [...] Full text...

thread Health

7 April is World Health Day as the world grapples with Coronavirus

06 april 2020 - 18:53:52
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - 7 April 2020 is the day to celebrate the work of nurses and midwives and remind [...] Full text...

thread Health

WHO says alarming number of women mistreated during childbirth

09 october 2019 - 04:11:58
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - More than a third of women surveyed across four lower-income countries, reported being mistreated during childbirth, a new study led by [...] Full text...

thread Health

Mauritania celebrates World Day of the Midwife

08 may 2019 - 20:41:04
Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA)   -   The Association of Midwives of Mauritania (ASFM) celebrated here Wednesday the International Midwifery Day, PANA observed [...] Full text...

thread Health

Liberia ramps up resources to improve mental health

31 march 2018 - 06:46:44
Monrovia, Liberia (PANA) - Nineteen clinicians specialising in child and adolescent mental health graduated on Friday in Monrovia from a [...] Full text...

thread Health

Working towards zero tolerance for female genital mutilation in Sudan (A WHO Feature)

07 february 2018 - 06:38:05
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Nine years ago, one community in Sudan decided to follow the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations [...] Full text...

thread Gender

US: UN honours midwives as family 'partners for life'

05 may 2017 - 21:50:04
New York, US (PANA) – The United Nations population agency on Friday urged governments and development partners to expand midwifery [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN: WHO stresses role of midwives for quality maternal health

13 october 2016 - 18:08:08
New York, US (PANA) - The first global survey of midwifery personnel has revealed that too often, midwives face cultural [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN: UNFPA chief highlights role of midwives in achieving development targets

05 may 2016 - 16:16:49
New York, US (PANA) - Every year, some 300,000 women die during pregnancy and childbirth and almost three million babies [...] Full text...

thread Health

Libya: UNFPA urges Libya to reward midwives as health heroes for women, newborns

05 may 2016 - 08:23:50
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Marking International Day of the Midwife, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Thursday renewed its [...] Full text...

thread Health

Ghana: Ghana: 'Bloody week' reported in Ghanaian media

13 february 2016 - 09:44:31
Accra, Ghana (PANA) – The Ghanaian media this week reported a number of killings that rocked the country, with the [...] Full text...

thread Press Review

UN: UN report says maternal mortality drops by 44 per cent

12 november 2015 - 16:28:31
New York, US (PANA) - Maternal mortality has fallen by 44 per cent since 1990, UN agencies and the World Bank [...] Full text...

thread Health

Senegal: UNFPA calls for solidarity with midwives

05 may 2015 - 15:43:03
Dakar, Senegal (PANA) – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Tuesday expressed solidarity with midwives across the globe as the [...] Full text...

thread Health

Kenya: US supports upgrade of health worker training centre

03 march 2015 - 12:47:37
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Kenya Isiah Parnell Monday joined Kenyan officials [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN: WHO turns to foreign medical teams to combat Ebola virus

14 february 2015 - 17:20:16
New York, US (PANA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) says it will put together medical teams from outside the [...] Full text...

thread Health

South Africa: Expert tries to find balance between traditional, modern medicine

27 august 2014 - 13:37:45
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – South African health expert, Dr. Avron Urison, says the issue of traditional medicine versus [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN: 'Midwives can prevent two-thirds of deaths among women and newborns'

03 june 2014 - 21:52:49
New York, US (PANA) - A new UN report released on Tuesday says midwives are the unsung heroes of maternal [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN: '45% reduction in maternal deaths since 1990'

06 may 2014 - 13:53:18
New York, US (PANA) - New United Nations data show a 45% reduction in maternal deaths since 1990, according to [...] Full text...

thread Health

Ghana: Media report hopes for early end to power rationing, unending ‘missing babies’ saga

29 march 2014 - 06:18:22
Accra, Ghana (PANA) – Hopes for an early end to power rationing and the health ministry’s directives on “missing babies” [...] Full text...

thread Press Review

Ghana: Seven charged with missing 'stillborn' baby

27 february 2014 - 22:06:41
Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Police have charged seven people for the disappearance of a "stillborn" baby at Ghana's second biggest [...] Full text...

thread Society

South Sudan: UN agency warns of emerging diseases in South Sudan

26 january 2014 - 17:33:09
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Despite the ceasefire signed late last week between the warring parties in South Sudan, UNICEF has [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN: UNICEF gives succour to women, children in South Sudan

22 january 2014 - 17:39:44
New York, US (PANA) - UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says it has airlifted humanitarian supplies for women and children in [...] Full text...

thread Society

WHO, partners reach survivors of typhoon Haiyan in Philippines

15 november 2013 - 15:25:41
Manila, Philippines (PANA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is working with the government of the Philippines and [...] Full text...

thread Environment

UN, World Bank support women's health, girls' education in the Sahel

06 november 2013 - 15:12:13
New York, US (PANA) - Responding to Niger's "Call to Action" for improvements in women's reproductive health and girls' education, [...] Full text...

thread Health

UNFPA commends midwives' contribution to maternal health

06 may 2013 - 20:18:53
New York, US (PANA) - The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) on Monday commended midwives for their crucial role in improving [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN mid-year report says progress made in Dafur conflict zones but....

08 august 2012 - 16:36:00
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Some 178,000 people have returned to their homes in Darfur following the relative stability in many [...] Full text...

thread Society

Expert: Family planning, the most preventive option against maternal mortality

16 may 2012 - 21:51:25
Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - The Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, has said improved [...] Full text...

thread Health

ICRC moves to improve maternal healthcare in Darfur

02 april 2012 - 14:09:14
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has completed the rehabilitation of the North Darfur [...] Full text...

thread Health

Report on “Delivering Health, Saving Lives” launched in Gambia

18 august 2011 - 18:24:14
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The State of the World’s Midwifery, 2011, Report, titled “Delivering Health, Saving Lives”, was launched in [...] Full text...

thread Health

Zimbabwe has huge midwife shortage - official

22 june 2011 - 11:09:53
Harare, Zimbabwe (PANA) - Sixty percent of midwife posts in Zimbabwe's public health institutions are vacant, a top government official [...] Full text...

thread Health

Moroccan midwives call for more attention

21 june 2011 - 14:26:22
Rabat, Morocco (PANA) - Reeling under the burden of underpayment, the lack of respect for their profession, the non-provision of [...] Full text...

thread Health

Kenya now to train traditional birth attendants

20 june 2011 - 17:14:10
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Determined to make up for the shortage of nurses and midwives in the country, the Kenyan [...] Full text...

thread Health

Historic midwives congress wraps up in South Africa

20 june 2011 - 12:35:32
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - The 29th triennial congress of midwives, which saw 111 countries represented, wrapped up in [...] Full text...

thread Health

Report on role of midwives in maternal, newborn health launched in SA

20 june 2011 - 12:15:00
Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - A report commissioned by the UNFPA on the role of midwives in maternal and newborn health [...] Full text...

thread Health

Kenya embraces traditional midwives to plug staff shortage (hold - Vin)

20 june 2011 - 08:44:23
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Determined to make up for the shortage of nurses and midwives in the country, the Kenyan [...] Full text...

thread Health

UN says midwives vital in improving maternal, chilldren's health

17 june 2011 - 19:13:56
New York, US (PANA) -- The UN will on Monday unveil a report highlighting the vital work of midwives [...] Full text...

thread Health

Jonathan discusses global peace, health with UN chief

23 may 2011 - 18:29:38
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to global security and peace and continuing [...] Full text...

thread Politics

Rotary, partners to improve maternal, child health in East Africa

05 may 2011 - 17:10:48
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The charitable arm of Rotary International, the Rotary Foundation, will provide grants to Rotary clubs to [...] Full text...

thread Health

Somali communities urged to promote breastfeeding

30 july 2010 - 13:15:00
Nairobi- Kenya (PANA) -- Ahead of celebrations marking this year's World breastfe eding week 1-7 August, UNICEF is urging Somali [...] Full text...

thread Society

Zimbabwe has severe shortages of midwives - UNFPA

18 may 2010 - 12:26:00
Harare- Zimbabwe (PANA) -- The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said Tuesda y 78 percent of the posts for midwives [...] Full text...

thread Health