GENEVA: Eight Pakistani nurses and midwives have been honoured by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the global 100 Outstanding Women Nurses and Midwives 2020 list.
As per details, the healthcare workers have been recognized by Women in Global Health (WGH), which collaborated with the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Population Fund, Nursing Now, International Council of Nurses and International Confederation of Midwives on the list.
According to a statement issued by the Aga Khan University (AKU), “All eight nurses and midwives from Pakistan are faculty or alumni of the Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, SONAM”.
The list recognized 100 nurses and midwives from 43 countries for their contribution to raising healthcare standards across the globe, “especially during these difficult times” of the COVID-19 epidemic, the statement added.
The ranking marks the end of the WHO’s yearlong Year of the Nurse and the Midwife 2020 campaign, which recognizes the vital role of nurses and midwives in providing health services and in helping achieve targets under the international sustainable development goals.
SONAM Dean Dr. Rozina Karmaliani has been honored under the Board and Management category in recognition of her efforts to spearhead improvements in adolescent health, strengthen research capacities and integrate research into education and practice.
Faculty members Yasmin Parpio and Samina Vertejee have been named under the Community Hero category for their services in community health nursing, while Saima Sachwani has been recognized for her contributions in developing an impactful nursing curriculum under the Human Capital Development category.
Nurse-midwife Marina Baig has also been lauded for leveraging mobile health technology to improve maternal health outcomes under the Innovation, Science and Health category.
Three SONAM alumni have also been recognized under the Community Hero category. They include Dr Shela Hirani for her efforts to promote breastfeeding during the Covid-19 pandemic, Neelam Punjani for her work in improving access to sexual and reproductive health rights and Sadaf Saleem for her contributions to geriatric nursing.
