The director Nursing Services, Selina Waqa-Ledua, on Friday urged midwives to respect mothers and their families they were serving regardless of the situation.

“We need that particular element, that particular trait and that is to respect one another, midwives we need to respect the mother, we need to respect the family of that particular mother,” Ms Waqa-Ledua said.

Ms Waqa-Ledua was speaking to about 100 guests including midwives, members of the Fiji Midwifery Association, retired midwives and other stakeholders at the celebration of the International Midwifery Day at the Holiday Inn Suva.

She depicted an example of the haste which transpired in midwifery situations: “This is the fifth, how many more?

“That kind of word culture needs to go out through the door.”

She said this was important to gain the trust of the mothers.

“When the woman comes to the hospital for the first time and does not know of the facilities around or where things are kept and out of respect we need to guide them,” she said.

“We have to be advocates of one another as partners, we as midwives advocate for the mothers and the babies.”

Ms Waqa-Ledua reminded the oath taken by midwives needed to be followed through.

She said the stress midwives were under did not give them the mandate not to respect mothers and their families.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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