Mufida is a community midwife in rural Pakistan.
She is the only community midwife in her village, which is located 34 kilometres from the nearest city in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
Before Mufida opened her clinic, there was no facility for pre- and postnatal care in her community.
“When [pregnant women] faced complications, it was not possible to go to the city,” she says, adding that many women died due to a lack of medical help.
Thanks to Canadian support, Mufida received midwifery training and equipment, and was able to open a clinic in her home to serve the women in her village.
As working parents, Mufida and her husband often juggle work and family life. Sometimes, that means taking her kids along to visit patients.
Mufida also educates young women and adolescent girls about health issues, a topic that is often considered taboo to talk about in their village.
“I started conducting sessions for girls in schools and tried winning their trust,” she says. “[Now] the girls share a lot of things with me either during school sessions or visiting me at the clinic.”
Midwives like Mufida are a critical part of healthcare systems that are inclusive, supportive, and responsive to the needs of women and girls.
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Photo credit: Danial Shah / AKFC
Credits:
Danial Shah / AKFC