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The Potential of Private Sector Midwives in Reaching Millennium Development Goals

Government health sectors in many countries face an uphill battle to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set for 2015. In the last six years, Ministries of Health (MOHs) in many less developed countries (LDCs) have been unable to invest sufficiently in their health systems. To achieve the MDGs despite inadequate resources, new approaches for delivering critical clinical services must be considered. This paper explores the potential for private-sector midwives to provide services beyond their traditional scope of care during pregnancies and births to address shortcomings in LDCs' ability to reach MDGs. It examines factors that support or constrain private practice midwives' (PPMWs') ability to offer expanded services in order to inform the policy and donor communities about PPMWs' potential.