UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) continues to make its mark internationally through the achievements of its alumni. Feri Anita Wijayanti, S.Keb.Bd., M.Mid., a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine’s Midwifery Program, recently participated in a series of high-profile global forums, including the High-Level Side Event of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the launch of the Midwifery Accelerator, and the WHO Global Webinar Panel Discussion.
In each of these platforms, Nita — as she is commonly known — stressed the vital role of midwives in improving healthcare, particularly for mothers and children. She also called for stronger investment in public health as a foundation for building healthy and empowered communities.
Emphasizing health investment
The Launch of the Midwifery Accelerator brought together health and finance ministers, along with other key stakeholders, to address challenges and propose solutions for implementing effective midwifery models and strengthening global health systems.
At the event, Nita served as a representative voice, highlighting the importance of advancing the midwifery profession.
“Together with the UN Youth Delegate for Denmark, I reaffirmed the essential role of midwifery in safeguarding the health of women and newborns in low- and middle-income countries. I shared the realities faced by midwives in Indonesia and stressed the need for sustained global support and investment in maternal and child health,” she said.
Advancing midwifery services
The next event was the WHO Global Webinar, organized in partnership with UNICEF, UNFPA, and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), which gathered midwives from hundreds of countries. Nita represented Indonesia as one of the panelists.
“I explained that while Indonesia has a substantial midwifery workforce, it faces significant geographic, cultural, and economic barriers. Achieving balanced and equitable midwifery services remains a considerable challenge,” she noted.
Nita described the webinar as highly beneficial, saying she intends to apply the insights gained to strengthen midwifery practices in Indonesia. She also emphasized the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders to ensure more sustainable midwifery service models, both domestically and globally.
“Through my participation as a panelist and speaker in several global events, I’ve been able to build international networks and gain new perspectives. The sharing sessions with other participants have greatly expanded my knowledge and experience in reproductive, maternal, and child health,” she added.
Nita urged the UNAIR academic community to see their role as more than simply teaching and learning. She encouraged them to be agents of change who consistently make a positive difference in their communities.
Author: Ersa Awwalul Hidayah
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
