Hilma Shikwambi, MSN

Hilma Shikwambi is a passionate midwife from Windhoek, Namibia. She holds a master’s degree of science in nursing and a postgraduate diploma in maternal and child health. She is currently a doctoral student focusing on maternal and child health. Shikwambi has more than 15 years of clinical, education and technical expertise as a midwife. She also has expertise as a public health leader and senior technical advisor in designing, implementing and monitoring programmes related to maternal and child health, health system strengthening, primary health care, sexual and reproductive health and education in low and middle-income countries. As an emergency obstetric and newborn care master trainer and course director, Shikwambi has a strong professional local and international network. Within Namibia, she has built strong relationships with various partners including government, UN agencies, development partners, academia, civil society organizations and communities. Shikwambi is also a lecturer and Head of the Department of Nursing and Midwifery at the International University of Management (IUM) in Namibia and is the founder and chairperson of the Independent Midwives Association of Namibia (IMANA) since its establishment in 2014. She is currently a board member with the International Confederation of Midwives, representing the Africa Region (Anglophone).  Beyond her full-time job as a midwife educator, Shikwambi is a member of the Nursing Council of Namibia and serves in a ministerial appointed committee that audits maternal and newborn death, stillbirths and maternal near misses at the national level.