Duties and scope of medical examination and treatment of village midwives

In the draft Circular regulating standards, functions, tasks, scope of medical examination and treatment, and professional training content for village and hamlet health workers and village midwives, the Ministry of Health has proposed standards, tasks, and professional training content for village midwives.

Village midwives are responsible for maternal and child health care in villages. The draft clearly states the standards for village midwives as follows: Regarding professional qualifications and training, village health workers must complete (have a certificate or accreditation) a training program according to the professional content and skills prescribed by the Ministry of Health; voluntarily participate as village midwives; and be healthy enough to perform the tasks as prescribed.

According to the draft, village midwives who work in maternal and child health care and other medical specialties have the following duties: Propagating and providing guidance on reproductive health and family planning for women of childbearing age, promoting women's hygiene, pregnancy hygiene, proper nutrition and eliminating customs that are harmful to the health of mothers and children; propagating and mobilizing pregnant women to go to commune health stations to register for pregnancy management, pregnancy check-ups, tetanus vaccination during pregnancy, going to medical facilities to give birth and fully vaccinating children of childbearing age.

In addition, propaganda on dangerous signs during pregnancy must be immediately taken to a medical facility; propaganda on exclusive breastfeeding, instructions on how to breastfeed and supplement children properly and prevent malnutrition for children under 5 years old.

Village midwives participate in population work and implement health programs in villages; effectively manage and use the Village Midwifery Tool Kit.

Village and hamlet midwives also participate in regular meetings with commune health stations; participate in professional training courses organized by higher-level health agencies to improve their qualifications; are instructed on the use of paper and electronic versions of maternal and child health monitoring and care tools; and record and report promptly and fully according to the instructions of commune health stations.

The task of participating in medical examination and treatment of village midwives

In addition, the village midwife performs the following tasks: Pregnancy management, detecting high-risk pregnancies, providing initial treatment and timely referral to medical examination and treatment facilities; prenatal examination, early pregnancy detection; Creating pregnancy monitoring forms, mobilizing pregnant women to have prenatal examinations at least 4 times/pregnancy and give birth at medical facilities; providing iron and folic acid micronutrient products or multi-micronutrient products according to the instructions of the commune health station; initial treatment of complications in cases of giving birth outside medical facilities and supporting timely referral to medical examination and treatment facilities.

In addition, the village midwife handles the delivery of pregnant women who cannot get to a medical facility in time to give birth; delivers normal cephalic births for pregnant women who cannot or do not get to a medical facility in time to give birth; detects dangerous signs in the mother and fetus during labor, provides initial treatment, notifies the commune health station for support or mobilizes family members and the community to promptly transfer the mother to a medical facility. Escorts the mother in labor to a medical facility.

Village midwives examine, treat, and care for mothers and newborns after giving birth at home: For mothers, village midwives observe the whole body and mental state; measure pulse, body temperature, blood pressure; examine breasts and support mothers in treating inverted nipples, painful breasts, blocked milk ducts, and learn about breastfeeding-related issues; examine and massage the abdomen, check uterine contractions; check the perineum and lochia; detect abnormal signs of the mother and refer her to a medical facility when necessary.

For newborns, the village midwife weighs the baby, monitors the baby's development; the status of exclusive breastfeeding; examines and assesses the baby's general condition: pulse, breathing rate, breathing sound; detects abnormalities or congenital malformations of hearing, vision, urinary tract, anus; examines the baby's skin, body hygiene and skin care; examines and cares for the umbilical cord; promptly detects abnormal signs of the baby and transfers to a medical facility when necessary.

Village midwives provide guidance and advice on women's hygiene, measures to prevent reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases; provide guidance and advice on family planning; provide and instruct on the use of condoms and oral contraceptives according to regulations of the Ministry of Health.

Professional training for village midwives

The proposed professional training contents for village and hamlet midwives include 15 contents: General anatomy and physiology of female reproductive organs; roles and tasks of village and hamlet midwives in maternal and child health care; infection control in providing reproductive health care services in the community; nutrition and disease prevention in maternal and child health care; pregnancy care; labor care; postpartum health care for mothers and newborns in the first 6 weeks at home...

Minimum training period is 6 months.

Village and hamlet health workers are transferred to work as village and hamlet midwives. The training period for the above contents is at least 3 months.

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