Doris Gbaguidi: midwife serving generations in Benin

Lokossa - At Mono Departmental Health Centre in Lokossa, in the south of Benin, Doris Gbaguidi is a renowned name. An experienced midwife, she has been supporting women for over 20 years during the most cruciald moments of their life. But beyond the delivery rooms, providing knowledge is the cornerstone of her professional legacy.

A dedicated trainer and respected mentor, Doris devotes a significant part of her time to supervising trainees. Patient and exacting, she prepares tomorrow's cadre of midwives. "What I give them today is what they will use to take care of us tomorrow," she says.
Over the years, generations of learners have passed under her guidance, finding in her much more than a teacher: a role model. This special relationship sometimes reveals itself in unexpected ways. One day, she recalls, a former trainee rushed into her department, out of breath after traveling several kilometres just to greet her. "Mama, don't you recognize me?" he asked. After a moment of hesitation, the memory came back. The emotion was immediate: "I was overwhelmed," she says.

Like many others, the nurse is among her trainees who continue to see in her more than a mentor. "Even after becoming midwives, they continue to call me 'mama,' even when I tell them we are colleagues now," She notes.

Midwife Doris embodies a respected figure in maternal health, a profession she has carried out with passion, rigour and commitment to passing on knowledge.

Structured training
The arrival of trainees is never unplanned. The team organizes, anticipates and prepares. "As soon as the information arrives, it is shared with all staff. Everyone gets ready," says Doris. Roles are defined, mentors are appointed and their backups are designated to ensure continuous supervision. Upon arrival, students have a structured environment where they can learn with confidence. "Even if their supervisor is not there, someone takes over. A trainee must never be left alone."

With trainees who are often still grounded in theoretical learning, she guides them through their first practical tasks: taking temperature or blood pressure, checking the pulse, placing a bedpan, or learning intravenous procedure. These may seem simple steps, but are essential and must be mastered.

"They can recite the lesson, but when it comes to practice, it's not always easy. They know in theory that you use three fingers to palpate a peripheral vessel, but when they try, they end up using two," Doris explains.

She supervises, corrects, repeats and encourages. Some arrive with great enthusiasm, others more reserved.

Learning to maintain confidentiality
For Doris, training is not just about teaching techniques. She places great importance on attitude and on how caregivers interact with patients. "You can know how to perform a procedure and still behave poorly with a patient. That is not acceptable."

She emphasizes respect, listening and confidentiality. Since 2019, the introduction of courses on sexual and reproductive health and related rights in health schools in Benin has reinforced these aspects. She stresses greater attention by trainees on respecting patients' dignity and respectful communication to build trust.

Beyond care, she is also committed to training professionals who can work together. The beginning is sometimes characterized by individualism. "At first, it's often every person for themselves," she notes. Gradually, she encourages solidarity, establishes rules for collective living, and explains and persuades.

Routine activities are also taken as learning opportunities: "We teach them how to organize themselves, to support one another, even when it comes to meals," says Doris. Over time, resistance fades, giving way to a more cohesive group dynamic. For her, learning to collaborate is an essential part of the profession.

The joy and pride of passing on knowledge
What touches her most is the journey of her former trainees. Some come back to see her years later just to express gratitude. "When I see a former trainee working, I feel joy and it makes me proude," she says.

These emotional moments give full meaning to her commitment. They are proof that her influence goes far beyond the internship itself.

Doris sees each trainee as a future professional, an essential link in the healthcare system. She is fully aware that those she trains today will be caring for patients tomorrow-and perhaps one day for her or her loved ones. "They are the ones who will take care of me and my family. So I have every reason to give them everything I have," she notes.

Through her role as a mentor, she passes on far more than knowledge. She shapes attitudes, builds values, and contributes to nurturing a generation of competent, responsible, and deeply humane healthcare workers. "We are one big family," she says.