India, Dec. 14 -- Shanti Devi is a household name at Nichla Badho Village in Jagjit Nagar of Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. This is not surprising considering that as a traditional birth attendant or dai , she delivered more than half the population of the village, including six of her grandchildren.

Even after she turned 80, Shanti remained the dai a pregnant woman in distress turned to or if the fears of a first-time mother-to-be needed to be soothed. Midwives can provide 87 per cent of the essential care for expectant mothers and newborns if they are educated and trained, says the World Health Organisation (WHO). But most importantly, as an integral part of a woman's life, they provide quality care, support and play an important ro...