Helen Keller International with funds from Irish Aid runs series of trainings on long term hormonal implant commonly known as Captain Band. The training which runs for few weeks to capacitate midwifes in the country.
The training was done in Bo, Makeni, Kenema, Tonkolili, Koinadugu, Pujehun, Kailhun, Kono, and Freetown. The training will help increase the network of family planning providers to be knowledgeable enough about their roles and responsibilities as midwives to citizens.
The implants will enable women and girls in Sierra Leone access to affordable and reliable birth control, thereby reducing teenage pregnancy, maternal and infant mortality.
Anna Macauley who is the Family Planning Coordinator for Helen Keller International said training final year Midwifery students will boost their knowledge on family planning and enable them to educate women on the importance of family planning and implants like the Captain Band, adding that it is hoped that midwives will use such training to help teenagers and women to make wise decisions when they want to get pregnant, and that pregnancy should be by chance but rather by choice.
Dr. Jane Shephard who is the Principal for National School of Midwifery said students should be able to impact what they have learned to transform society and help women be able to make sound decisions when they want to have babies.
