Practicing Local Listening with Village Midwives in Sudan: A Case Study for Theological Ethics

Abstract

According to Paul Farmer, “the experiences of those who are sick and poor remind us that inequalities of access and outcome constitute the chief drama of modern medicine.” One particular global health flashpoint in under-resourced communities is newborn mortality. This chapter is a case study of Helping Babies Breathe Sudan, a training for a national program to train village midwives or traditional birth attendants in basic newborn care. The program’s successes and challenges offer important lessons about the process of developing partnerships for accompaniment. Focused on local listening and participation, this article examines lessons from this case for thinking about ethical partnerships for health and development. For theological ethics, Farmer’s own work and this case provide concrete examples that the option for the poor can be put into practice through prioritizing participation and local listening.