Wednesday, May 7, 2008, Rabi-ul-Sani 30, 1429    

USAID awards top community midwifery students

Peshawar— The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) presented awards to three outstanding students of its community midwifery training program at the Post Graduate College of Nursing here today. More than 100 student midwives from Upper Dir and Buner and their parents participated in the ceremony.
“Women and newborns are the most vulnerable part of Pakistan’s population,” said USAID Pakistan Mission Director Anne Aarnes. “By dedicating yourself to midwifery, you are investing in the survival of your communities.”
The 18-month training course is part of USAID’s $53.9 million Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN) project. The course will teach 1,500 women from rural villages of Pakistan about the potential complications of pregnancy, labor and delivery. It will then train them to conduct safe deliveries at home, recognize and respond to emergencies, and help mothers deliver in a hospital when necessary.
Since 2002, the U.S. Government has provided more than $2 billion to Pakistan to improve economic growth, education, health and governance and to assist with earthquake reconstruction.—NNI