Columbia University Award for midwives and their associations.

This award, part of the 'Averting Maternal Death and Disability' programme, is a prize to the monetary value of 5000 US$ designed to honour midwives who have demonstrated the potential to act as change agents in their country in the reduction of maternal and neonatal death and disability, and have the ability to support the strengthening of the midwifery association.

It is given every year, initially for the period 2002-2004, and there is one award per ICM region. The award is to be used to strengthen the activities and effectiveness of the midwives' association with the ultimate goal to reduce maternal death and disability and increase the basic emergency obstetric skills of midwives.

Congratulations go to the four award winners for 2003 who are:

* Nery Alba Rapoport, from Argentina

* Ma Setha, from Cambodia

* Zuzana Stromerova, from the Czech Republic

* Mnembere Meherete Ayele, from Ethiopia

The awards will be presented in Trinidad during the ICM Mid Triennium Meetings in April 2004.

A response has already been received by ICM from Zuzana Stromerova, who writes.

I would like to thank all of you for nomination for the Columbia University Award. I feel very honoured to be a recipient of such an international award.

Just recently, I and four colleagues of mine have been discussing plans to set up some advisory centres for midwives. The aim of the activities in such a centre would include:

* prenatal classes provided by midwives (for individuals or groups)

* a teaching programme in advanced grades of secondary schools and first grades of universities. The programme would...