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The First Lady, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, says the time has come when no woman in Ghana should die while giving birth. She has therefore urged midwives in the country to close their ranks and forge forward together in unity. The First Lady made this call yesterday when she addressed midwives at the launch of the 22nd International Day of the Midwife at the Jubilee Park at Wa. �Every blessed day gives us a new opportunity to save the lives of women, girls and babies, who form our country�s next generation. The time is now and we must all agree and be determined that no woman should die while giving birth� she said. Urging the different professional groups and associations of midwives to tackle the problem of disunity within their ranks, she said though there are different active midwife associations, it is important that they remain untied and focused. She said Midwives are a key factor in Ghana�s struggle to reduce maternal mortality especially in rural communities. In remote rural communities Midwives are lifesavers and life givers. She emphasized that in many remote areas they are the only source of access to healthcare. �This explains why in many communities, midwives are the most popular works. Almost everybody recognizes them and knows where they live. Midwives do not only assist with pregnancy and childbirth. They take care of family planning and provide care and nutritional support for newborns and their mothers� she stressed. �Never forget that you are the most critical players in improving Maternal Health. I wish to remind you of the Akan proverb that says, �one hand cannot lift a heavy load�, which simply means in unity lies strength� she pointed out. Mrs. Mahama paid tribute to her predecessor, Dr. Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills for her strenuous effort in the area of maternal health. She also lauded the achievements of Madam Mariama Issaka and Madam Magdalene Juliet Acquah, both midwives who have won international awards for their innovations � the ZORKO INITIATIVE and the BIRTHING STOOLS. �The underlying factor for their achievements are team work, respect for community norms and good communication� she reminded the midwives. Touching on infrastructural development in the health sector, the First Lady assured that the John Mahama Administration is committed to expanding health facilities across the country, to improve the road networks and also enhance the welfare of health workers. This she believes, would not only help reduce maternal mortality, but also improve general access to health care across the country. She said the government has also decided to continue the expansion of existing midwife and nurses training colleges and also establish new ones. �I am also happy to announce that work is also ongoing to introduce the Certificate in Midwifery Training Programme� she added.