Health and Family Welfare Department Commissioner Katamneni Bhaskar inaugurated the State-level Nurse Practitioner Midwifery (NPW) programme in Guntur on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Bhaskar said the NPW programme is approved worldwide and is recognised by the Nursing Council of India.
The 18-month training programme is funded by the Central government and technical support is given by UNICEF and Fernandez Foundation. He said that the department plans to produce at least 1,500 midwives in the next four years.
He said plans are afoot to set up eight State Midwifery Centres across the State and a separate cadre of midwives with pay scale of staff nurses will be set up.
He said midwives can help prevention of Caesarean section surgeries and increase normal deliveries.
