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Dar es Salaam — The Aga Khan School of Nursing and Midwifery has initiated a training programme--Respectful Maternity Care--with a view to providing skills to nurses, midwives and clinical officers in public hospitals, dispensaries and health centres.

The programme was launched yesterday with more than 50 trainees including nurses, midwives and clinical officers from Ilala and Temeke district councils in Dar es Salaam city.

The training will also take place today for other trainees from remaining councils of Kinondoni, Ubungo and Kigamboni, according to the School of Nursing and Midwifery academic head, Dr Columba Mbekenga.

"The programme is for the whole country in both public and private health facilities. We, however, are beginning with Dar es Salaam as our pilot study," she said. The move, according to her, is to remind the maternity staff about their codes of ethics when fulfilling their duties.

"All women have the right to a positive childbirth experience including respect and dignity, companion of choice, clear communication by maternity staff, pain relief and mobility in labour and birth position of choice," she said. She added that as a leader in nursing and midwifery education for more than 30 years she has not been happy when hearing stories of mothers being mistreated when giving birth.

The programme was launched by the representative from Tanzania Nursery and Midwifery Council (TNMC), who is the head of education and training department, Ms Happy Masenga whose focus was on ethical principles to nursing and midwifery profession.

"Take it from me and go teach others in your workplaces. Always, do not harm you patients with either verbal or non-verbal languages, give quality services, consent them before and after services and make sure that every information is confidential," she said.

She hailed the Agha Khan School of Nursing and Midwifery for initiating such a platform, insisting that it should go beyond Dar es Salaam.

According to her, the training will be considered on the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) of the attendees, adding qualifications for renewing their licences.

"Nursing and midwifery professionals are renewing their licences every three years. Training like this is highly considered during the re-new procedures," she added.