This paper analyses the importance of the services rendered by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to pregnant women in Zimbabwe.
It argues that, though an integral part of the health system, the ambivalence in terms of policy on the part of the government leaves
them in a predicament. Sociocultural values as well as tradition imbue TBAs power and authority to manage pregnancies and
assist in child deliveries. On the other hand, government policies expounded through the Ministry of Health (MoH) programs
and policies appear to be relegating them to the fringes of healthcare provision. However, in a country with a failing health system
characterized by mass exodus of qualified personnel, availability of drugs, and understaffing of healthcare centres, among others,
TBAs remain the lifeline for many women in the country. Instead of sidelining them in healthcare interventions, I argue that their
integration, however, problematic and often noted to be with disastrous consequences for traditional medicine, presents the sole
viable solution towards achieving MDGs 4 and 5. The government and MoH should capitalize on the availability of and standing
working relations of TBAs with the grassroots for better/positive maternal health outcomes. In a country reeling with high maternal
deaths, TBAs’ status and position in society make them the best intervention tools.