Registered Mid-wife Arrested for Breaching Medical Protocol; Causing the Death of 24-Years-old Grace Junior

Monrovia, Liberia: The Liberia National Police is investigating a registered, trained traditional midwife identified as Madam Photo Lloyd on allegations of breaching midwifery protocol that subsequently led to the death of a 24-year-old, Grace Junior, in the Banjor Community of Montserrado County Electoral District #17.

The Liberia Medical and Dental Council and the Montserrado County Health Team are collaborating with the Public Safety Division of the Ministry of Justice in the investigation of the 71-year-old certified midwife.

K-NEWS investigation in the matter has established that the accused (Madam Photo Lloyd) was trained and certified on February 9, 2007, by the Ministry of Health (MoH) under the Integrated Traditional Midwifery Program.

But she now faces allegations of engaging in unsafe maternal practices by conducting a home-based delivery service in breach of national midwifery protocols.

Trained Traditional Midwives (TTMs) are authorized to support maternal care within the community but are mandated to work in close collaboration with licensed healthcare professionals.

The MoH emphasized that TTMs must operate within the bounds of their training and policy regulations to ensure the safety and well-being of both mothers and infants.

Despite being assigned to a recognized health facility, the accused, who is now a subject of the state’s authority investigation, reportedly chose to carry out the delivery at her residence.

Investigators disclosed that the victim, Grace Junior, was brought to her around 5:00 a.m. for childbirth.

However, rather than referring the patient to a hospital or qualified medical center at the earliest sign of complications, Madam Photo Lloyd kept the deceased after approximately eight hours.

This delay proved fatal after the patient began gasping for breath. Health investigators say the tragic incident could have been avoided had proper referral protocols been followed.

Midwifery is the health science and health profession that deals with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period (including care of the newborn), in addition to the sexual and reproductive health of women throughout their lives.

In many countries, midwifery is a medical profession, special for its independent and direct specialized education; it should not be confused with the medical specialty, which depends on previous general training.

A 2013 Cochrane review concluded that "most women should be offered midwifery-led continuity models of care, and women should be encouraged to ask for this option, although caution should be exercised in applying this advice to women with substantial medical or obstetric complications." 

The review found that midwifery-led care was associated with a reduction in the use of epidurals, with fewer episiotomies or instrumental births, and a decreased risk of losing the baby before 24 weeks' gestation. However, midwifery-led care was also associated with a longer mean length of labor as measured in hours.