Outstanding Nurses
The World Health Organization (WHO) dedicated 2020 as "The Year of the Nurse and the Midwife". In celebration of this, the WHO compiled a list of 100 Outstanding Nurses and Midwives. Nine of these nurses/midwives were members of the Jamat. Seven of them are featured here.
Samina Vertejee continues a tradition of uplifting the status of nursing
7 March 2021
Samina Vertejee, an assistant professor at the Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKUSONAM), paved the way for many nurses during her professional journey as a public health nurse. For this, and many other reasons, she recently appeared on the World Health Organization’s list of 100 Outstanding Nurses and Midwives.
Working to improve communication about women’s reproductive health in Pakistan
7 March 2021
Neelam Punjani graduated from the Aga Khan University as a nurse and has gone on to expand the boundaries of women’s reproductive health in Pakistan through her clinical experience and research. Now, she has appeared on the World Health Organization’s list of 100 Outstanding Nurses and Midwives.
Where performing arts meets public health: Outstanding nurse Saima Sachwani develops innovative strategies to teach community health nursing
7 March 2021
Even before a baby is conceived, lifestyle factors can influence the health of the fetus and child. It was this fact that motivated Saima Sachwani, assistant professor at the Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, to pursue a career in public health as a researcher. She was also recently recognised as one of the World Health Organization’s 100 Outstanding Nurses.
Outstanding nurse Yasmin Nadeem Parpio advocates for mental wellbeing in Pakistan
7 March 2021
Yasmin Nadeem Parpio, an Assistant Professor at Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM), is an advocate for mental health and wellbeing and was recently recognised as one of the World Health Organization’s 100 Outstanding Nurses and Midwives. Yasmin is a public health nurse and also the first regional coordinator from South Asia to represent the Middle East Region in the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Outstanding nurse works towards decreasing mortality rates in labour and delivery in Afghanistan
7 March 2021
Afghan midwife and nurse Shukria Hussaini was born in 1990 during the Civil War in Afghanistan. Very quickly after seeking asylum in Pakistan, she became familiar with the work of AKDN and the Jamati institutions, particularly the educational sectors that focused on English learning. Today, Shukria finds herself on the World Health Organization’s list of 100 Outstanding Nurses and Midwives.
Outstanding gerontology nurse Sadaf Saleem Murad promotes quality of life for older adults
7 March 2021
Sadaf Saleem Murad wears multiple hats: providing care as a bedside nurse in dementia lockdown units, working as a lecturer at the University of Alberta undergraduate nursing department, and serving as a research assistant and PhD candidate investigating rehabilitation in older adults with dementia. Sadaf was also recently recognised as one of the World Health Organization’s 100 Outstanding Nurses and Midwives.
Outstanding nurse Dr Shela Hirani supports breastfeeding among vulnerable populations
7 March 2021
When choosing to breastfeed, new mothers are often faced with uncertainty on how to best support their baby’s health. What should a breastfeeding mother’s diet look like? Is it safe to consume caffeine? What about other medications? Covid-19 further complicated breastfeeding, adding the question of whether the virus could be spread through a mother’s breast milk. Dr Shela Hirani was recently recognised as one of the World Health Organization’s 100 Outstanding Women Nurses and Midwives for her work in supporting breastfeeding practices during the global pandemic.
