Mothers and midwives from across Africa and the United Kingdom have gathered outside the World Health Assembly in Geneva to demand that world leaders protect women giving birth. The protest calls for clean water in every health centre and maternity ward to prevent the deaths of mothers and newborns, following an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Protest at the World Health Assembly
Frontline health workers and mothers from Tanzania, Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana, and the UK beat drums, waved blue fabric, and held placards, urging global leaders to take action. The demonstration was organised as part of WaterAid's 'Time to Deliver' campaign, which The Independent has supported. The campaign calls on world leaders at the upcoming United Nations Water Conference in December to ensure that every health centre worldwide has access to clean water, decent sanitation, and proper hygiene facilities.
Voices from the Frontline
Silviana Swallo, a midwife from Tanzania, stated: 'I cannot speak about midwifery care without adequate water supply. Water is health for mothers, newborns, and health care providers.' Her colleague Christina Mhando, head of policy at WaterAid Tanzania, added: 'The solutions exist, they are simple and cheap. We just need them to listen and act.'
WaterAid research reveals that a woman gives birth every two seconds without access to clean water, functional toilets, or basic hygiene. This amounts to more than 16 million women annually. One in five health facilities globally still lacks these basics, meaning midwives cannot wash their hands between patients or reliably sterilise equipment. In Malawi, 20-year-old Rose was told to bring her own razor blade to cut the umbilical cord, her own thread to tie it, and her own bucket in case there was no water.
Global Health Representatives in Attendance
Global health representatives also attended the protest, including Margaret Montgomery, technical advisor at the World Health Organisation, members of Operation Smile Sweden, and the International Student Surgical Network. The protest comes after the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern over an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with cases spreading to Uganda.
Helen Hamilton, head of health and hygiene policy at WaterAid, drew a direct line to Ebola: 'As we know from previous outbreaks, clean water, decent toilets, and proper handwashing facilities are essential to preventing the spread of this deadly disease.' She added that aid cuts have already weakened disease surveillance networks, making it harder to catch outbreaks early. 'At the same time, aid cuts have weakened disease surveillance and outbreak monitoring, making it harder to stop deadly diseases before they spread,' Ms Hamilton said.
'As health leaders gather in Geneva for the World Health Assembly this week, the message must be clear: we must ensure all healthcare facilities have clean water, decent toilets, and the means for good hygiene – this investment will protect the lives of health workers, patients, and communities everywhere,' she added.
