Beyond Midwifery Education: Building an Enabling Ecosystem for Midwifery Workforce in Pakistan

This implementation case study examines Pakistan's multi-institutional approach to strengthening its midwifery workforce amid high maternal and newborn mortality compounded by climate disasters and fragmented care pathways. Recognizing that degree programs alone are insufficient, the Health Services Academy, UNFPA, Burnet Institute, and the Ministry of Health established an enabling ecosystem that links ICM-aligned Bachelor of Midwifery education—incorporating crisis SRH and climate resilience—with national Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) system strengthening. By coordinating curriculum development, faculty preparation (over 135 faculty trained for 160 enrolled students by 2026), accreditation, and clinical placements across teaching hospitals simultaneously, the initiative provides a evidence-based framework for multidisciplinary care while underscoring that educational reform must be paired with ongoing regulatory clarity regarding the legal scope of practice to fully optimize maternal and newborn health outcomes.