With more than half a million women dying in pregnancy or childbirth worldwide, Mozambique’s surgical training programs are being hailed as a model solution in confronting the maternal health crisis facing developing countries. The film captures one woman’s story on the frontlines of improving maternal mortality but it also demonstrates how low-cost, community-based health initiatives are changing the face of public health in Africa.
The film Birth of a Surgeon follows Emilia Cumbane, one of the first midwives-in-training. She performs Cesareans and hysterectomies in makeshift operating rooms in rural Mozambique. We follow Cumbane from her home in the Mozambican capital Maputo, into intensive medical classes, through night shifts in the delivery wards, and watch as she fights for recognition of her surgical competence.
WIDE ANGLE anchor Aaron Brown introduces Birth of a Surgeon Meet Emilia Cumbane, a midwife who fought for her education in the midst of chaos Midwife surgeon plan gets underway Midwives face skepticism from superiors Cumbane and colleagues work in remote villages of Mozambique Cumbane takes a major decision defying her superior’s judgment WIDE ANGLE host Aaron Brown interviews Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization Production Credits