Friends of Indus Hospital, Finland
How IHHN is transforming Maternal and Newborn Care in Pakistan
Pakistan continues to face one of the region’s highest burdens of maternal and newborn mortality, particularly in rural, remote, and underserved communities. While tertiary hospitals provide essential specialized care, many preventable deaths occur because women lack timely access to skilled birth attendants and quality primary healthcare services.
To address this challenge, the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) has implemented a transformative Midwifery-Led Model of Care (MLMC) that places skilled midwives at the center of maternal and newborn healthcare. By bringing high-quality care closer to communities, IHHN is helping ensure that safe and dignified childbirth is not determined by geography, but recognized as a fundamental right.
A Community-Centred Model of Care
Since 2019, IHHN’s Community Health Directorate has strengthened Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) services by positioning trained midwives as primary care providers for low-risk pregnancies. Aligned with recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the model delivers comprehensive care throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.
The approach encompasses four key pillars:
- Preventive Care: Early pregnancy registration, risk assessment, and maternal immunization.
- Health Promotion: Education on nutrition, birth preparedness, breastfeeding, and family planning.
- Clinical Care: Management of normal deliveries and early identification of complications.
- Postnatal Support: Follow-up care for mothers and newborns, mental health screening, and growth monitoring.
Through this continuum of care, women receive consistent support from pregnancy through the critical first months of a child’s life.
Strengthening Rural Healthcare in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
In 2024, IHHN partnered with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to transform the Rural Health Centre in Khalabat Township, Haripur, into a fully operational 24/7 Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) facility.
The initiative introduced several key innovations, including:
- A telehealth-enabled hub-and-spoke system connecting frontline providers with specialists in Karachi for real-time clinical guidance.
- Upgraded labour rooms and essential emergency equipment.
- Solar-powered infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
The results have been significant, with increased utilization of services and a substantial rise in facility-based deliveries attended by skilled healthcare professionals.
Reaching Vulnerable Border Communities
IHHN’s commitment to maternal and newborn health extends to some of Pakistan’s most vulnerable populations. In collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Integrated Protection Services for Afghan Refugees project was launched in 2025 in the districts of Killa Saifullah and Pishin, Balochistan.
The initiative combines maternal healthcare, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and community outreach to create a safer environment for women and girls.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, the project delivered:
- Antenatal care services to more than 3,300 women.
- Skilled support for over 200 deliveries.
- Nearly 1,200 postnatal care visits.
- More than 3,000 mental health and psychosocial support consultations.
- Awareness sessions reaching over 16,000 community members on gender-based violence prevention and sexual and reproductive health.
These services are helping bridge critical healthcare gaps in remote and underserved regions.
Investing in the Midwives of Tomorrow
IHHN’s commitment to maternal and newborn health extends to some of Pakistan’s most vulnerable populations. In collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Integrated Protection Services for Afghan Refugees project was launched in 2025 in the districts of Killa Saifullah and Pishin, Balochistan.
The initiative combines maternal healthcare, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and community outreach to create a safer environment for women and girls.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, the project delivered:
- Antenatal care services to more than 3,300 women.
- Skilled support for over 200 deliveries.
- Nearly 1,200 postnatal care visits.
- More than 3,000 mental health and psychosocial support consultations.
- Awareness sessions reaching over 16,000 community members on gender-based violence prevention and sexual and reproductive health.
These services are helping bridge critical healthcare gaps in remote and underserved regions.
Impact at Scale
In 2025 alone, IHHN’s midwifery-led services delivered measurable impact across Pakistan:
- 151,328 antenatal care visits.
- 4,809 safe deliveries managed by skilled midwives.
- 8,499 postnatal care visits.
- 9,992 family planning clients served.
- 72,122 family planning counselling sessions conducted.
These figures reflect the growing reach and effectiveness of community-based maternal healthcare services.
Saving Lives Where Care Is Hardest to Reach
Across Pakistan, from the coastal communities of Sindh to the remote border regions of Balochistan, IHHN’s network of 29 midwifery-led sites is bringing lifesaving care closer to families.
In one recent case from Nok Kundi, a trained midwife successfully managed a life-threatening post-delivery complication, preventing severe haemorrhage and stabilizing the mother until further care could be provided. Stories like these demonstrate the critical role skilled midwives play in reducing preventable maternal deaths.
A Model with Global Relevance
Midwifery-led care offers a proven, cost-effective, and scalable solution for resource-constrained settings. By enabling low-risk pregnancies and births to be managed safely at the primary healthcare level, the model improves outcomes while reducing pressure on overstretched hospitals.
As IHHN continues to expand this approach into high-burden districts and strengthen integration within public health systems, the vision remains clear: every woman, regardless of where she lives, should have access to skilled care before, during, and after childbirth.
Through innovation, partnership, and community-based care, IHHN is helping transform maternal health outcomes across Pakistan—turning vulnerability into resilience and ensuring safer beginnings for mothers and newborns alike.