Welsh Government to fund Welsh Health workers to volunteer in Africa
16 Apr 2014 04:33 PM
Ten exciting and innovative projects run by NHS
staff and health charities have been awarded grants from the Welsh
Government’s Wales for Africa Health Links grant
scheme.
One
of the projects to receive funding is Midwives@Ethiopia, a dedicated group of
midwives working with partners in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and
Peoples' Region of Ethiopia.
The
charity will receive more than £9,000 to help improve maternity care for
mothers and babiesand work with the Ethiopian Midwives Association developing
continuing professional development programmes for midwives.
The
grant scheme supports the professional development of NHS Wales staff while
delivering an impactful project to improve health in sub-Saharan Africa. For
NHS staff this work can count as part of their continuing professional
development. The grant scheme also supports work to develop a new link or an
ongoing health link.
Speaking about the scheme, First Minister Carwyn Jones
said:
"The health projects supported by Wales for Africa
are having life changing effects. I visited Africa earlier this year and saw
for myself just how valuable the knowledge and skills of our health volunteers
are in helping to improve conditions and life-chances.
"My visit was inspiring and showed just how much
can be achieved through joint working. The latest round of funding means we can
continue this good work and make a real and lasting
difference."
Health Minister Mark Drakeford added:
"I’m delighted Wales will be able to offer
funding and support through the Wales for Africa Health Links grant scheme.
These projects will help to train healthcare workers and ensure better health
services for communities in many African countries.
"In turn, the experiences the volunteers bring back
with them will strengthen the NHS and other bodies in the healthcare sector in
Wales, meaning we are developing as a nation by offering our support
internationally."
Emma Mills from midwives@ethiopia
added:
"We are extremely grateful for the grant from the
Welsh Government and also for the ongoing help and support provided. We are a
small charity made up only of volunteers but with the help of fundraising and
grants, we are able to see the huge impact we are making to the lives of women,
babies and their families in Southern Ethiopia.
"Funding directly reduces maternal mortality by
providing essential training to midwives and health extension workers at a
local level and in partnership with colleagues in Ethiopia. At
midwives@ethiopia we believe every woman worldwide should be able to give birth
safely and without fear, and no child should lose his/her mother in
childbirth.
"Funding from the Welsh Government means that
midwives@ethiopia can offer opportunities to Welsh health professionals
and students to travel with the established charity to learn new skills that in
turn means they can offer more holistic care to the Welsh
people."
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