On 5th May 2016, the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) with the theme "Women and Newborns: The Heart of Midwifery "was celebrated at Tehran Heart Center, in a large-scale ceremony organized by Iranian Medical Council.

As the keynote speaker, the President of Iranian Medical Council addressed the ceremony.

In his opening remarks Dr. Zali acknowledged Iranian midwives contributions to national health system and said:"In the preceding year, more than 470,000 Natural Childbirth was done in our country in which 30% of midwives had an active role in improving maternal and new born health."

IRIMC President highlighted the role of midwives in maternal and new born health and added:" According to UNFPA Representative in Iran, not only has Iran reached Millennium Development Goal 5 which is reducing maternal mortality and achieving universal access to reproductive health, but also surpassed it, with an 83 percent drop in the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) between 1990 and 2012. Undoubtedly midwives have got a key role to achieve it."

Dr. Zali expressed his optimism about improving midwives working conditions and said:"I am the idea that through synergy and cooperative interaction between Iranian Medical Council, the Ministry of Health and midwives we can improve the public perception of midwives and ameliorate midwives' working conditions."

Other speakers at the event included Midwives' Representative in IRIMC Supreme Council and the Chairperson of Iranian Society of Midwifery..

Dr. Shima Naghavi, Director of International Affairs