Dereje Duguma (MD) (centre), state minister for Health, and Bettina Maas (second from the left), country representative of the United Nations Population Fund, held a press conference on the role of midwives combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on May 7, 2020. Taking place two days after the International Day of the Midwife, Dereje acknowledged the role played by midwives in providing information and contraceptive counselling as well as continuing to give service in maternity wards while calling attention to the shortage of personal protective equipment when they operate on the front lines.