Kashmiri Midwives Race Against Time to Reach Remote Mothers Facing Rising Risks
Baramulla, Kashmir – In the remote forests of the Kashmiri mountains, women are increasingly giving birth without medical assistance, facing life-threatening complications as climate change and economic pressures force nomadic communities further from healthcare access. Midwives like Saira Begum are frequently enough the sole source of support for expectant mothers in these isolated regions, battling challenging terrain and limited resources to prevent tragic outcomes.
The escalating crisis highlights a global challenge: ensuring maternal health for vulnerable populations displaced by environmental factors and economic hardship. According to the UNFPA, similar patterns are emerging among pastoralist women in countries worldwide, where migration routes leave them beyond the reach of conventional healthcare. The situation in Kashmir is particularly acute, with anecdotal evidence suggesting a rise in maternal deaths as traditional support systems fray and access to facilities dwindles. Pilot programs in Mongolia, Ethiopia, and Somalia are attempting to address similar resource gaps for nomadic women, offering a potential roadmap for intervention.
Begum’s work exemplifies the desperate need for accessible maternal care. Traveling for hours to reach women in labor, she provides critical assistance, often relying on basic supplies and traditional knowledge. ”What else do you have in the jungles, except an old woman’s hands?” she asks, reflecting the stark reality faced by these communities.
Initiatives like Mongolia’s mobile clinics – part of a broader WHO-supported health program – offer a potential solution, delivering preventive care and ultrasound scans to remote herders.Ethiopia’s mobile health program in the Afar and Somali regions similarly provides antenatal, immunization, and nutrition services through traveling health teams. However, the scale of the challenge in Kashmir, compounded by ongoing political instability and limited infrastructure, demands a tailored and urgent response.
For new mothers like Fatima, who rocks her newborn by the firelight, survival feels like a matter of luck. “We survive by luck,” she says. “But every year, another woman does not.” The increasing frequency of these tragedies underscores the critical need for expanded outreach programs, improved infrastructure, and sustained investment in maternal healthcare for Kashmir’s most vulnerable populations.
