Who Does Immunisation Work? Midwives, Traditional Birth Attendants, and the Hidden Labour of Maternal Vaccination in LMICs

Description

The Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research at the School of Health and Medical Sciences, City St George’s, University of London hosted a research seminar presented by Dr Tolulope Esther Fadeyi as part of the SHMS research seminar series. The seminar explored the role of midwives and traditional birth attendants in maternal vaccination in low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on Nigeria from the late twentieth century.

The seminar examined how maternal immunisation relies on everyday, relational labour carried out by midwives and traditional birth attendants, arguing that vaccination should be understood not only as a technical intervention but as a situated practice embedded in social relations. It highlighted how these actors support and sustain vaccination programmes through their interactions with pregnant women, offering an alternative perspective to narratives that frame vaccination as a purely technical intervention.

Period	18 May 2026
Held at	City St George's University of London, United Kingdom