RELEVANCE OF NURSE PRACTITIONER MIDWIVES IN INDIAN STATES INCLUDING ASSAM

Abstract

Introduction: Midwives can meet nearly 90 % of the need for essential sexual,reproductive, maternal, new born and adolescent health interventions, Quality midwifery care provided by skilled and competent midwives of international standard can reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and stillbirth rate by 83% and with 56 maternal andnewbornhealthoutcome.MaterialsAndMethods: Thispaperisbasedonreviewof contemporary literaturedevelopedby the UNFPA,WHO,ICM, Indian NursingCouncilandthe Government ofIndia,focussingon the importance ofimplementation of Nurse Practitioner Midwives of the global standards. Findings And Discussions: Amidst a signicant shortage in the provision of effectiveprimary care, jeopardizing millions ofIndians'access tobasichealthcare services, especially thepoorest, it is very evident that nurse practitioners are the need of the hour in India. Their role in advanced practice could allay a signicant portion of the shortage in the health workforce ratio, thereby, transforming their role as rst contact providers. Taking lessons from wellestablished systems and evidences on the panoramic impacts of nurse practitioners in terms of cost-effectiveness, accessibility, holistic, and patient-cantered approach; their role is very signicant for a country like India. Capitalizing on nurses in advanced practice to increasingpatient'saccess to healthcare services willbeappealingandbenecial. Health systemsare currently hugely burdenedandwillrequiretheinvolvementofnursepractitionersas therstpoint-of-caredeliverypersonnel.Conclusion:Basedon the identied contextual factors prevailing in India and other similar global initiatives and context designing and implementing Midwifery Led Care Unit (MLCU) along with a legal framework to enable midwives to provide full scope of practice in tune with the global standards tocareforwomenduringlabouris theneedofhour.