Blessing Mlambo, Manicaland’s best midwife

Patricia Mashiri

The elegant smile on her face speaks a different and contrary story about the traditional narratives of midwives and childbirth stories that have long been told in our bringing.

Her cleanliness and how fervent she spoke was are clear indications of her passion for her work.

Blessing Mlambo, the sister in charge at Mt Selinda Mission Hospital as well as a registered general nurse and midwife was one of the midwives who received an award of being one of the best in country. The awards were recognition of 15 midwives from the country’s ten provinces.

“My journey in the midwifery fraternity started when I was promoted to be sister-in charge in 2008 but I had not trained for it by that time. I was called in to attend. I encountered challenges that’s where I decided to train and become a midwife. I had the plans to join midwifery before but I could not because of other challenges.

“In 2012 I became a fully trained midwife and enjoying in maternity. I’m trying to deliver what is supposed to be delivered according to set standards,” she said.

Midwives are a critical link between life and death, serving as advocates for both mothers and babies. Mlambo enjoys being a life giver and as a champion in reducing maternity mortality rate, with Zimbabwe making notable progress in this area.

“I’m glad we have been recording a reduction in maternal and pre-natal deaths. Most midwives need to be taught that they need to show some love to the patients that come in this included chatting, attending to them physically in that way you win whatever concerns she has.

“After deliver continue to check for bleeding, if she’s cheering that she has delivered, is the baby breastfeeding well, are there no abnormalities so that you address even earlier or transfer or reporting to the superiors,” she emphasised.

The preservation of lives had become an integral part of Mlambo’s daily routine. Like any other profession, she has encountered her fair share of challenges.

“One of my worst experiences is when I witnessed a maternal death when a lady who tried to give birth at home had complications and later came to the hospital when her condition had deteriorated.

“I think it was four years ago but I still have some memories of the incident,” she reflected.

“At Mt Selinda Mission Hospital, we thrive for the best. We do continuous quality assessments with the mothers that would have come for our services. We have suggestion boxes and audits to see where we have gone wrong if there is need for corrections, we do it objectively. If we find any gap, we try to iron it out positively.

I just want to thank everyone who made it possible for me to win the midwifery award. I believe it was through hard work, commitment and team work. I also want to thank my work mates because I don’t work alone,” Mlambo expressed sincerely.