The BMJ appeal 2021-22: “We can’t turn women away”—providing maternity care under pressure in Afghanistan
BMJ 2021; 375 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n3004 (Published 16 December 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;375:n3004
- Jane Feinmann, freelance journalist
- London, UK
- jane{at}janefeinmann.com
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“It can feel like a baby factory,” says Saada,* midwife activity manager at Boost Hospital in Lashkargah, capital of Afghanistan’s Helmand province. A team of 10 obstetricians, 65 midwives, and 20 midwifery assistants work shifts to manage exceptionally high workloads involving normal and complicated deliveries round the clock.
“Last night we delivered 15 babies in 30 minutes,” says Saada, speaking to The BMJ in late November. “We might have 75 deliveries in a single shift, with five midwives working non-stop …
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