Nineteen new auxiliary midwives have completed their training and will bolster rural health teams in an aim to reduce maternal mortality in Karen State.

The 19 trainees were presented certificates at an inaugural ceremony on September 6. These auxiliary midwives are the sixth batch to complete the seven-month training held by the Backpack Health Worker Team (BPHWT), the Phalon Education Development Unit (PEDU).

Complications from childbirth and pregnancy are a leading cause of death for women in Burma. The country has the second-high maternal mortality rate in the region, behind Laos.

Countrywide, an average of 282 women die per 100,000 births, according to data from the 2014 census. One in three births in Burma is not attended by a healthcare professional, and access to emergency services, especially in more remote areas, remains low to non-existent.

The training covers neonatal, antenatal and delivery healthcare services. The most recent training was held from November 1 to August 31, with three months of theory lessons and four months of practical training.

The training completion ceremony was held at the Taung Kalay Monastic School in Hpa-an township, Karen State.