UNFPA Supports Midwifery Education and Workforce Development in Pakistan

Midwives: Guardians of Maternal and Newborn Health

On the occasion of International Day of the Midwife, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has reiterated its commitment to supporting Pakistan in expanding midwifery education and workforce development. The initiative aims to strengthen maternal and newborn health services, reduce preventable deaths, and improve healthcare access in underserved communities.

UNFPA’s representative in Pakistan, Dr. Luay Shabaneh, emphasized that investing in midwives is not only a health priority but also a smart economic choice. He noted that midwives reduce costly emergency care, ease hospital burdens, and improve family and community well-being.

Currently, Pakistan faces a shortage of nearly 82,000 midwives, with only 2.2 midwives per 10,000 people—half the global average. This gap contributes to Pakistan’s high maternal mortality rate, with 100 women dying for every 100,000 live births, most from preventable causes.

UNFPA has called for:

• Scaling up the BS Midwifery Programme to train more professionals.
• Strengthening training standards and ensuring deployment in areas of greatest need.
• Integrating midwives fully into the health system, with clear career pathways, professional recognition, and leadership opportunities.
• Fair pay, legal protection, and safe working conditions for midwives.

Midwives are often the first and most trusted point of care in rural and underserved communities. They provide skilled care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period, prevent complications, and ensure timely referrals.

An advanced midwifery clinical skills training programme was recently launched in Tharparkar, one of Sindh’s most underserved regions, to enhance maternal and neonatal healthcare services.

UNFPA stresses that access to skilled midwifery care is a fundamental right. By investing in midwives, Pakistan can reduce maternal and newborn deaths, strengthen primary healthcare, and secure long-term gains in human and economic development.

The message is clear: no woman should lose her life while giving life. Midwives are the guardians of safe motherhood, and empowering them is essential for Pakistan’s health and future prosperity.