During the floods in Pakistan in 2022, nearly 33 million people were affected, including 6.1 million pregnant women. Disasters raise risks of miscarriage, pre-term birth, low birth weight and other complications, as emergency responses often overlook reproductive health in favour of injuries and disease outbreaks.

The Islamabad-based Population Council Pakistan (PCP), an international research organisation, carried out an intervention, engaging community midwives (CMWs) in emergency response efforts. Iram Kamran, director programmes at PCP, who led this operation, recalls, “We knew their own homes were damaged, as were their birthing centres and the equipment they used. Even the supplies had been washed away.”

In some of the worst-hit districts of Sindh and Balochistan, PCP provided refresher training and equipped 106 CMWs with essential supplies, including medicines and contraceptives, delivery kits and basic equipment. Within six weeks, they were ready to resume safe deliveries in makeshift birthing centres.

Iram says that, within two months, 55 midwives had assisted 479 births, provided family planning to 792 couples, and delivered antenatal and postnatal care to 664 and 368 women,........

© Dawn (Magazines)