Where a midwife is present, hope is never far

We recently met Hapy Akter, 27, a midwife at the Urfa Mother and Child Welfare Centre - a ten-bed facility in Nakla union in Sherpur. When we arrived, Happy was attending to a pregnant woman who had just come in with active labour pains. The woman’s husband explained that they chose this centre because they heard midwives performed safe, normal deliveries in their own village.

Previously, the mother had received no antenatal care or ultrasounds. Her husband had been reluctant to seek medical help, unwilling to have his wife examined by a male doctor. While the delivery was eventually performed, the outcome was tragic: the baby was stillborn.

"It made me incredibly sad," she shared. "If she had only come to us earlier, the baby might have survived."

The Urpfa Mother and Child Welfare Centre of Nokla upazila in Sherpur was built in 2018, but it stood for years without services, held back by staff shortages, limited equipment, and a location cut off by floods and poor roads. For many women in this remote union of Nakla, reaching care meant long walks or costly transport, often delaying or preventing life-saving support.

That began to change in February 2025, when Hapy arrived. Since joining the centre, Hapy has made it her mission to change the mindset of the community. Her approach was immediate and practical: start services, build relationships, and bring the community in. Antenatal care began at once. Hapy went door-to-door, sat with families in courtyard meetings, and worked alongside Family Welfare Visitors and Assistants to identify pregnant women and encourage early check-ups. At the same time, local health authorities reactivated the facility’s management committee to strengthen accountability, while regular monitoring ensured service quality.

The results came quickly. In April 2025, the centre conducted its first normal vaginal delivery after years of inactivity. One year later, in April 2026, the facility marked its 100th safe delivery — a milestone shaped by persistence rather than infrastructure alone.

"I feel a deep sense of pride in serving others and witnessing the joy on their faces. As a professional midwife, I want to give my absolute best to keep them healthy," Hapy said. "Many of these women have poverty and lack of health literacy, and they often have no say in their own healthcare decisions. My goal is to ensure that every woman here feels safe and empowered to share her pregnancy-related concerns with me," she added.

One particular story stayed with Hapy. 

"Rina, a 32-year-old mother who married as an adolescent girl - unfortunate reality for every second girl in Bangladesh, had a normal delivery here three months ago. Recently, she returned, this time bringing her 16-year-old daughter for a pregnancy check-up. If all mothers become as aware as Rina, we can ensure that no woman in Bangladesh dies while giving birth," said Hapy.

After completing her Diploma in Midwifery from Dhaka Nursing College, Hapy began her career in 2022 at Nagar Matrisadan in Chattogram. Later she served in the Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya and spent six months at a hospital in Saint Martin Island of  Cox’s Bazar. Her career also includes a stint as a Research Assistant and providing critical care during the emergency flood response in Sunamganj. She is honoured to share that she has been officially recommended for a 10th Grade government position as a Midwife this year. 

The Urpfa Centre where she currently serves, operates under the Directorate General of Family Planning. Despite Urpfa being a remote union with poor road connectivity, the centre remains well-structured. With support under the UNFPA-UNICEF programme and funded by Global Affairs Canada, the facility is equipped with a functional labour room, essential medicines, and lab facilities.

"I also underwent  a cesarean section when I gave birth," she shares. “Even if we hope for a normal delivery, complications can happen. That is why coming to a facility early matters so we can act in time,” Happy shared.

My message to all women is this: please do not assume you can safely deliver at home. Come to us first. If we detect any complications, we will refer you to the right facility to save both your and baby’s life," Happy said encouragingly.

“My mission remains clear. It is to ensure a healthy mother and a healthy child. The presence of a skilled midwife is not just a choice, it is a necessity," she said.