University News Last updated 07 January
A midwife driving life-changing reform for women in India and vulnerable communities worldwide has called for urgent action to strengthen the global midwifery workforce, as she received an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University (BCU).
Inderjeet Kaur (pictured), who has spent more than 30 years in midwifery, began her career in the NHS before moving to India, where she is now Director of Midwifery at Fernandez Hospitals.
Most recently, she was appointed to India’s National Midwifery Task Force, established by the Ministry of Health to tackle deep-rooted healthcare inequalities.
Her work comes against a stark backdrop. Between 1997 and 2000, India recorded 1.3 million maternal deaths.
While progress has been made, maternal mortality remains far higher than in the UK, with 99 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, compared with 11 in every 100,000 in the UK.
“My work has always focused on improving outcomes for marginalised communities,” said Kaur.
“The solution is not complicated. We must build a strong, respected midwifery workforce by standardising education globally and recognising midwifery as a profession in its own right.
“A well-trained, supported and integrated midwifery workforce saves lives, protects families and strengthens communities for generations.”
She added: “When a woman receives good care during pregnancy and childbirth, it doesn’t just change her experience - it shapes her baby's health and well-being and influences the course of an entire family’s future.”
Kaur has also led a landmark partnership between BCU and Fernandez Hospitals, enabling UK academics to support and assess students in India and helping to develop the country’s first dedicated 18-month midwifery course based on global standards.
“Our collaboration with BCU has been instrumental in building education pathways and strengthening public health institutions that serve India’s most vulnerable families,” she said.
“As a profession still emerging in India, midwifery gains immense value from this kind of global exchange.”
Alongside her international work, Kaur led the first professional midwifery training programme in Telangana and established the UK’s first maternity clinic at the Royal London Hospital dedicated to supporting women who have experienced sexual violence.
Photo credit: BCU/Jason Sheldon at Junction 10 Photography.