Help Rohingya Refugees Become New Moms Safely

When Fatema arrived at the Baharchora Union Health and Family Welfare Center in Cox’s Bazar, she was suffering from repeated convulsions caused by severe pregnancy-related hypertension. Every second mattered. Her life—and her baby’s—depended on the swift action of skilled hands.

Midwife Supervisor Porna immediately recognized the signs of eclampsia, one of the leading causes of maternal death in Bangladesh. Acting quickly, she guided her team to assess Fatema’s condition and stabilize her breathing and circulation. Drawing on the emergency eclampsia box, stocked with lifesaving medicines such as magnesium sulfate, labetalol, and hydralazine, Porna and her team were able to stop the convulsions and stabilize both mother and baby.

This decisive use of magnesium sulfate—a medicine that prevents fatal seizures in eclampsia—shows how quality maternal healthcare supplies save lives. Other essential medicines, including oxytocin to manage postpartum hemorrhage and modern contraceptives, are also reaching frontline facilities through strengthened supply chains, helping ensure women receive both lifesaving care and reproductive healthcare options.

$150 can provide supplies, medications, and equipment to help clinics manage life-threatening obstetric emergencies.

Once Fatema’s condition was under control, Porna knew she needed to be referred to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for further care and possible surgery. Before the ambulance departed, she made sure an emergency birth kit was included in case delivery occurred en route.

Her foresight proved vital. While being transported to the hospital, Fatema went into active labor. Following Porna’s training and guidance, the referral midwife safely delivered a healthy baby girl in the ambulance using the emergency birth kit, ensuring a clean and safe birth. By the time they reached the hospital, both mother and newborn were stable and in good health.

$15 can provide emergency birth kits for three mothers, helping ensure safer deliveries when hospitals are out of reach.

Through support from the European Union, UNFPA and its partners continue to strengthen emergency obstetric and newborn care in Cox’s Bazar. Facilities are staffed with trained midwives, equipped with emergency supplies, and connected to reliable referral systems. The goal is simple and urgent: every woman, no matter where she lives, should be able to give birth safely and with dignity.

This work is part of a broader 12-month initiative valued at more than $1 million, funded by the European Union with additional support from other donors. The project strengthens the reproductive healthcare supply chain, helping ensure uninterrupted access to essential supplies for nearly 180,000 people, including Rohingya refugees and members of host communities.

Midwives like Porna are often the difference between life and death for mothers and babies. Porna’s experience is a powerful reminder that preparation, teamwork, and access to the right care save lives. Every well-equipped midwife is not just a caregiver, but a lifeline for mothers and babies across Cox’s Bazar.

$400 can help fund a community midwife for one month, ensuring women have skilled care before, during, and after childbirth—when every second counts.