School of Midwifery, Makeni and Seed Global Health Launch Midwifery Training Program

Following an Invitation from the Office of the Vice President, Seed Global Health Launches a Multi-Year Health Workforce Training Program at the School of Midwifery, Makeni

Makeni, Sierra Leone: Today, Seed Global Health (Seed) and the School of Midwifery, Makeni (SOMM) formally launched their partnership to strengthen midwifery education at the institution and increase the number of practice-ready midwife graduates who will deliver high-quality care to women and infants in Sierra Leone. In the coming week, Seed and SOMM will convene stakeholders from across the country to review data on current challenges and evaluate strategies to strengthen midwifery training.

The Office of the Vice President invited Seed to partner with the Government to strengthen midwifery practice and trainee skills to address Sierra Leone’s high maternal and neonatal mortality rates. In response, Seed has worked with experts to design a 10-year program to strengthen midwifery practice in the country with SOMM representing Seed’s initial clinical and teaching site.

“It is a memorable day for Seed Global Health. We are honored to kick-off planning for a midwifery training program in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone and the School of Midwifery, Makeni,” explained Mustapha Sonnie, Seed’s Sierra Leone Country Director. “Over the last 6 months, Seed has conducted a national needs assessment of midwifery practice in Sierra Leone. We are eager to implement our initial program here in Makeni to begin addressing our findings.”

Informed by the findings of the national midwifery needs assessment, Seed recently placed three midwife educators at SOMM to work alongside midwifery faculty at the institution. Together, they will strengthen the breadth of midwifery education and enhance midwifery skills through clinical mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities. To improve maternal health outcomes, they will initially focus on clinical areas such as postpartum hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia, and sepsis, while facilitating a culture of clinical excellence, responsibility, and accountability in the delivery of care.

In reflecting on the coming week, Mustapha commented, “As a Sierra Leonean and the Country Director of Seed Global Health, I could not be more excited for the work ahead. While the challenges are great, I have seen what can be accomplished when we combine evidence-based solutions with a spirit of collaboration and partnership. Together, we can save lives and catalyze lasting change in Sierra Leone.”