Islamabad – February 18, 2016:  U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director John Groarke congratulated 185 women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas who successfully completed an 18-month midwife training program sponsored by the U.S. government.

“A healthy family is the foundation of a healthy nation, so I am proud that the United States and Pakistan are working together, through this program and others, to strengthen Pakistan’s health sector,” Groarke said.

During the event, midwives shared their aspirations to decrease mother and child mortality rates and to address other healthcare issues in their communities.  During the training, which was provided through USAID’s Training for Pakistan Project, participants learned to assist at births, conduct normal deliveries in a community setting, and recognize danger signs in time to refer patients to a health facility.

The USAID Training for Pakistan Project is a $33.9 million initiative providing training in various sectors, including energy, economic growth, agriculture, education, and health. Through this project, USAID plans to train more than 6,000 Pakistanis by May 2017.