Dear Editor,
I am writing to bring urgent attention to a deeply concerning situation affecting the most recent cohort of Midwifery students in Antigua and Barbuda.
These dedicated individuals began their training in January 2024 and successfully completed their program in August 2025. Their journey was not an easy one , they balanced rigorous academic demands with the physical and emotional responsibility of completing the required number of deliveries to qualify for their final examinations.
The cohort sat their examinations in December 2025 and received initial feedback in January 2026. Since the second week of January, those deemed successful have submitted their applications for licensure. Yet, months later, they remain in limbo, with no licenses issued and no clear answers provided.
Even more troubling is the situation of those who resat their examinations earlier this year. To date, they have not received their results. Repeated attempts to contact the Nursing Council and the Ministry of Health have been met with silence or vague responses, leaving these professionals feeling disregarded and forgotten.
At a time when Antigua and Barbuda continues to express a critical need for midwives, it is both confusing and disheartening that a group of fully trained, capable practitioners is being prevented from stepping into these essential roles. Instead, they are forced to remain in their positions as registered nurses, unable to utilize the specialized skills they worked tirelessly to acquire.
Additionally, this issue extends beyond new graduates. Practicing midwives who have applied for relicensure are also experiencing significant delays, further compounding the strain on maternal healthcare services. There is also a pressing need to modernize the licensing system itself by replacing fragile paper licenses with durable, standardized identification cards, similar to driver’s licenses, to reflect the professionalism and importance of the field.
Perhaps most concerning is that while this cohort remains stalled, a new group of midwifery students has already begun training. This raises an important question: how can a system continue to recruit and train new professionals while failing to process and support those who have already completed their journey?
As it stands, the hard work and sacrifice of these students and the investment made in their training are being left to gather dust.
As Scripture reminds us, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). For these midwives, that hope was a timely transition into their profession , a hope that is now being tested by ongoing delays and lack of communication.
This is not merely an administrative issue; it is a matter that directly impacts the quality of care available to mothers and newborns across our nation.
We therefore call for immediate transparency, the prompt release of outstanding examination results, and the expedited processing of all pending licenses.
Respectfully,
A Voice for the Voiceless