Abstract:
The decrease of infant mortality rates (IMR) and maternal mortality rates (MMR) in
Sri Lanka has shown a remarkable improvement of healthcare over recent decades.
This attainment is almost equivalent to that of some developed countries. Since Sri
Lanka is still in the developing status, usually the credit of this success goes to the
established medical system of the country and welfare based economy. Although
there is no argument on this over emphasized assessment, this research attempts
to reveal the role of midwifery service which has been the key stakeholder behind
this success. This paper is a part of a research on infant mortality trends in Sri Lanka
that has been conducted covering five districts namely: Anuradhapura, Badulla,
Hambantota, Kandy and Ratnapura. Relevant primary data were generated through
the process of interviewing 80 mothers who have given birth to mortal infants
during the period of 2016 to 2018. Some useful information was carried out from
informal interviews with 10 midwives representing relevant districts. Personal
observations on visual anthropological sources were also utilized as primary data
sources. Previous researches, journal articles and published statistical documents
of government organizations were used as secondary facts. This research reveals
that the most important relationship at pre delivery, delivery and post delivery
periods for mothers as, Midwife 48.3 %, Doctor 31.7 %, Family members 18.3 % and
others 1.7 %. Moreover, the sample figures show that receiving basic knowledge of
hygiene, nutrition and family planning were obtained highly from doctor or midwife
71.7 %, digital media 32.6 %, Printed media 27.3 %, friends or neighbors 19.4 %,
formal education 15.2 % and 22.2 % from other sources. Based on these figures this
research continued with scrutinizing the history of midwifery service in Sri Lanka.
Although, the health care service appeared in Sri Lanka from kings' age up to now
in different stands of the process of institutionalizing, it does not say all these
facilities equally catered to all remote areas of the Island. This paper also argues
that, even though a number of development programmes have been introduced, a
seldom of their outcomes have effectively reached to the less developed areas.
However, with the implementation of the systematic midwifery service throughout
every administrative division it has shown a remarkable attainment even in the
remote geographical destinations reporting such low rates of IMR and MMR cases
in Sri Lanka.
