Saving lives in Wau: How UNICEF-supported training is empowering midwives to redefine Maternal Care

2026-03-17 - 15:34

In the maternity ward of Wau Teaching Hospital, where the cries of newborns echo through crowded corridors, one midwife is quietly challenging long-held cultural beliefs while saving lives. Adim Deng Deng, a registered male midwife with six years of experience, is part of a small but growing group of men redefining maternal healthcare in South Sudan. “I have an experience of five to six years now working in the field of midwifery, saving the lives of newborns and mothers in the community,” Adim says, reflecting on his journey in Western Bahr el Ghazal. His work comes at a critical time. South Sudan continues to face high maternal and neonatal mortality rates, often linked to limited access to skilled birth attendants, poor infrastructure, and delayed medical care. At Wau Teaching Hospital, Adim and his colleagues handle more than 20 deliveries a day, often under intense pressure and with limited resources. Adim credits much of his growth to recent specialized training supported by UNICEF in 2025, which focused on emergency obstetric care and infection prevention. “The training was very successful and is benefiting us so much,” he explains. “It improves the quality of care and renews our knowledge every time we come to the field. It gives us updates on patient care, especially for pregnant mothers and newborns.” Among the skills he gained are life-saving procedures such as manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) to manage complications from incomplete abortions, assisted vaginal delivery using vacuum extraction, and improved infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. “We are now preventing infections better for both mothers and babies,” Adim says. “We learned how to conduct deliveries in a sterile way and manage complications during labor.” Despite these advancements, challenges persist. One of the most pressing issues, he says, is financial. “Most of us working in the field are facing challenges because our incentives are delayed sometimes for more than five months, now going to six,” he notes. “This discourages many staff.” The workload itself is also demanding. Midwives often spend entire nights monitoring labouring mothers, ensuring both mother and child are safe before, during, and after delivery. “You may spend the whole night without sleeping, following the mothers and making sure they are in good condition,” Adim explains. “In case of complications, we report immediately to consultants. We have three consultants here who are always alert.” Currently, about four midwives are assigned per shift, a number Adim says is insufficient given the hospital’s needs. The maternity department includes multiple units from labor and antenatal care to postnatal wards and preeclampsia units, all requiring skilled midwives. “We have between 18 and 25 midwives, including some nurses, but it is not enough,” he says. “All these units need pure midwives. We cannot handle all the cases in one shift with this small number.” Adim’s path into midwifery was deeply personal. Inspired by his mother, a traditional birth attendant, he witnessed firsthand the risks women faced during home deliveries. “This was my dream when I was young,” he recalls. “My mother used to conduct deliveries at home. Sometimes I followed her, but I was not allowed to take part. I decided to become a professional so I could help prevent infections and save lives.” He has seen the difference modern medical care can make. “In the past, many mothers died from bleeding, infection, and neonatal complications,” he says. “Now, we know how to prevent many of these.” As a male midwife, Adim has also had to overcome cultural scepticisms. In many communities, childbirth is traditionally considered a woman’s domain. But attitudes, he says, are changing. “People used to think men cannot be midwives, but that is not true,” he says. “Now, many mothers actually prefer male midwives because we handle them gently and with care.” He recalls his first experience as a student in 2018, when he assisted a mother during delivery. “She was very excited about how I handled her,” he says. “After delivery, she appreciated me so much and even said she would prefer a male midwife in the future.” Today, demand for male midwives like Adim is growing, though they remain few in number. Out of a recent training group, only eight male midwives are currently practising in the field. Beyond staffing shortages and delayed incentives, systemic challenges continue to affect maternal health outcomes. Transportation remains a major barrier for many women in remote areas. “Sometimes mothers come from far distances without transport. Even a motorbike is unaffordable,” Adim explains. “We only have three ambulances in the whole state, which is very challenging.” He recounts one of the most heartbreaking cases he has encountered—a mother who attempted to deliver at home but developed obstructed labor. “By the time she came to the hospital, her uterus had ruptured, and the baby died,” he says quietly. “We had to remove the uterus. It was very painful to witness.” Despite such tragedies, Adim remains committed to his work. He says the best moments are seeing healthy mothers and babies leave the hospital. “I have gained a lot of experience here, seen many cases I never saw before,” he says. “It gives me motivation to continue.” Looking ahead, he calls for more frequent training, timely payment of incentives, increased staffing, and better emergency transport systems. “If training can be conducted every two or three months, it will help new midwives gain experience,” he suggests. “And if incentives are paid on time, it will improve morale and quality of care.” For Adim, midwifery is more than a profession—it is a calling shaped by personal history and driven by a desire to save lives. In the busy wards of Wau Teaching Hospital, his work stands as both a lifeline for mothers and a sign of changing times.