A New Dawn for Midwifery in Pakistan: Dr. Rafat Jan's Visionary Return to MAP Leadership

By Shabbir Hussain Jhatial (Ex DGN, Sindh)

The Pakistani Nursing & Midwifery sector, long faced with unrelenting challenges and the encroachment of money-making mafias at its highest institutes, now sees a glimmer of hope with Dr. Rafat Jan's re-elevation as President of the Midwifery Association of Pakistan (MAP). This resurgence of leadership stands as a light at the end of the tunnel.

The transition of leadership from Ms. Arusa Lakhani to Dr. Rafat Jan was as smooth as when Founder President Mrs. Kamal handed over the lamp to Dr. Rafat Jan and then to the outgoing president Ms. Lakhani. This exemplifies the level of maturity and professionalism within MAP, a rare commodity in most nurses' associations, which often behave as dictators.

Ms. Arusa Lakhani, during her tenure, achieved much, including hosting regional & global conferences and continuous training of hundreds of midwives, which raised the status of MAP as the only professional association in Pakistan consistently engaged in professional development endeavors, involving national and global partners effectively.

Yet, in an unfortunate episode, nine Midwife/LHVs lost their representation in the Council when PNC was haphazardly amended to Pakistan Nursing & Midwifery Council, despite all efforts, but in vain. Dr. Rafat now faces perhaps the biggest challenge to reclaim the representation of midwives in the Council. This will require a larger alliance of professionals to get it through Parliament, which has been sensitized by PNF's leadership headed by Ms. Nighat Durani.

Dr. Rafat Jan's profile speaks volumes of her extensive national and global exposures, marking her as the only Cosmopolitan Midwifery Leader from Pakistan:

HEC Approved Ph.D. Supervisor.
Member, Prime Minister Health Task Force.
Editor, Journal of Asian Midwives.
President, Pakistan Nursing Council (2015–2018).
Interim Chair, Midwifery Alliance of Asia (2015-2017).
Board Member, International Confederation of Midwives (2014–2020).
President, Midwifery Association of Pakistan (2014-17).
Chair, South Asian Midwifery Alliance.

With such an impressive portfolio, it is rightly expected that Dr. Rafat will complete her unfinished tasks in her three-year tenure as President of MAP.

A tailpiece of reflection: Dr. Rafat must not be left alone as in 2018, when self-centered, greedy ones compelled her to resign as President of PNC, and most professionals did not withstand her. Since then, our Council has remained plunged into the quagmire of unending crises. Let us all pledge to strengthen Dr. Rafat Jan in unequivocal terms this time, as the challenges are far bigger than they were in yesteryears.

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