In August 2025, devastating floods swept through the Shangla district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan, destroying roads, bridges, farmland and irrigation systems. The floods were part of one of the most destructive monsoon seasons in recent years, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and cutting off entire communities. Across KP, more than 500 people were killed, and hundreds were injured due to flash floods, landslides and torrential rains. Thousands of homes and large sections of critical road networks were damaged or destroyed, including bridges and access routes linking remote villages to essential services. In Shangla district alone, authorities confirmed at least 36 deaths and 21 injuries, along with widespread infrastructure collapse that left many health facilities and transportation routes inaccessible. For families living in remote villages like Chagam, accessing healthcare became nearly impossible.
International Medical Corps provides health, hygiene, and mental health and psychosocial support services in Shangla district.
Tajmina, a 37-year-old mother of three, lives in Chagam. Her husband works in a coal mine, earning a modest daily wage, and the family survives on limited resources. In December, Tajmina arrived at the basic health unit (BHU) in Chagam in active labor. International Medical Corps Medical Officer Dr. Nighat Seema and Lady Health Visitor Sana Hussain assessed and then counseled Tajmina and her family on potential risks and strongly advised referral to a higher-level healthcare facility. However, the journey required an hour of treacherous travel over flood-damaged terrain, which the family felt they could not safely manage, given Tajmina’s condition.
“The tehsil (district) hospital is very far,” Tajmina said in an interview. “After the floods, the roads were damaged, I was in severe pain and could not climb the mountains on foot or by any form of transport, so we had no way to reach the hospital. I was afraid for my baby and did not know what would happen.”
Tajmina safely delivered the first newborn at the Chagam BHU in five years.
When Tajmina arrived at the facility, her hemoglobin level was 8.5 g/dl, increasing the risk of complications for both mother and baby. After thorough counseling and informed consent, our team proceeded with the delivery, while taking every possible precaution.
Since September 2025, International Medical Corps has been supporting under-resourced health facilities in Shangla district to ensure continuity of essential healthcare services for flood-affected communities. At the BHU in Chagam, our support has focused on strengthening staffing, maintaining outpatient services and restoring community trust in primary healthcare, helping the local government to cope with health-related challenges.
Although the labor room at the BHU had been nonfunctional for over five years and essential injectable medicines were unavailable on site, Dr. Seema took extraordinary measures to procure critical supplies from a private pharmacy to ensure the safest possible delivery given the circumstances and available resources.
“We had lost hope after the floods and thought we could not get help,” Tajmina’s mother-in-law shared. “But the doctors here treated my daughter-in-law as if she were their own family member. They gave her everything she needed, and now both mother and baby are safe. We are so grateful to International Medical Corps for being here when we needed them most.”
After delivering the baby, Sana Hussain cleaned the newborn girl, suctioning the nose and mouth to remove all fluids. Both baby and mother were in good health. The newborn weighed three kilos, with Apgar scores of 8/10 and 10/10. Tajmina was kept under observation for three hours and then discharged with her attendant. She had successfully delivered a healthy baby at the BHU, bringing hope and renewed confidence to the Chagam community.
“International Medical Corps’ team guided me through every moment and took great care of me,” said Tajmina. “Today, both my newborn and I are healthy. I can never thank them enough.”