Photo : BSS

By Md Mamun Islam 
 
RANGPUR, Nov 2, 2025 (BSS) – The Santal Health Project has achieved a milestone of 700 safe deliveries for mothers, mostly from the ethnic Santal community, at the Sapmara Union Health and Family Welfare Center (UHFWC) in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha.
 
The success of providing institutional delivery services highlights the importance of improving healthcare and modern reproductive health services for underprivileged women.
 
The LAMB Hospital, UNFPA, , health and family planning departments and local government institutions (LGIs) extended cooperation and assistance in running the project that has set a unique example of trust-building and collaboration.
 
This initiative has made significant progress in improving maternal and reproductive health, which has a lasting impact on the Santal community and paved the way for further progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
 
A fortunate mother Sumita Soren, 21, of village Kalupukur under Ghoraghat upazila of Dinajpur safely gave birth to a beautiful baby boy at the Sapmara UHFWC at 7:36 pm on October 21, 2025, marking the historic milestone of 700th delivery for the project. 
 
“This momentous occasion has generated a wave of pleasure and discussion highlighting the growing success and trust in institutional deliveries within the local communities,” Project Manager of the Santal Health Project Mohammad Ali told BSS.
 
The Sapmara UHFWC operates 24/7 offering institutional deliveries with the support of two skilled and trained indigenous Santal midwives Minoti Murmu, 30, and Silvia Mardy, 29. 
 
They joined Sapmara UHFWC in 2020 under the ‘Santal Health Project’ implemented by LAMB with support from UNFPA and Directorate General of Family Planning to improve SRHR services among the Santal community. 
 
“These midwives play a crucial role in ensuring safe deliveries, especially for the marginalized Santal indigenous mothers, by providing necessary care and expertise during delivery,” Ali said.
 
In addition to institutional deliveries, the UHFWC offers comprehensive ANC (Antenatal Care) and PNC (Postnatal Care) check-ups for pregnant mothers. 
 
The pregnant women receive essential health services at the UHFWC, and if necessary, they are referred to higher health service facilities for advanced care. 
 
“Furthermore, family planning services, including both permanent and temporary contraceptive methods, are available at the Sapmara UHFWC along with counselling to ensure four ANC check-ups for safe pregnancies,” Ali added.
 
Talking to BSS, midwife Silvia Mardy said that they are providing sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, ANC and PNC, to women, pregnant mothers and adolescents. 
 
Beginning from July, 2020, the midwives have so far conducted 705 normal vaginal deliveries (NVD) of pregnant mothers, including Santal mothers, alongside providing ANC to pregnant mothers, including Santal mothers there.
 
The midwives have also counselled many adolescents including Santal, conducted health education for women, including Santal, provided child care to newborns, including the Santal community during the period.
 
Earlier, local traditional birth attendants used to perform deliveries of Santal mothers adopting various unsafe traditional methods that caused unbearable pain and casualties too.
 
“In the community, we tell people that all services we provide to make women's lives better, safer and healthier are free, which encourages them to come to the UHFWC for safe deliveries, ANC and PNC services,” said Silvia.
 
Midwives Silvia Mardy with Minoti Murmu successfully conducted the 700th normal vaginal delivery of Sumita Soren, 21, on October 21, 2025, marking the historic milestone for the project. 
 
Sumita Soren delivered a healthy male baby weighing 2.975 kg.
 
“It was my first pregnancy. I got checkups during my pregnancy. I am grateful to midwives Silvia and Minoti for their selfless services, support and care extended to me like my own sisters,” said Sumita Soren. 
 
Manager Liaison of LAMB Hospital Mahatab Litan said the midwives are inspiring women of the Santal and local communities to avail SRHR, ANC and PNC and reproductive health services for safe deliveries to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths.
 
“The activities of the Santal Health Project play a crucial role in saving the lives of many pregnant mothers and newborns ensuring that healthcare services reach those who need them the most,” he said.
 
This success story must not end here. To ensure the ongoing availability of reproductive healthcare services for this marginalized community, it is crucial to sustain the momentum.