Midwife (Aybak, Joye Zendan, Ahengaran, Moho and Kajlar Districts)

Role summary The Health and Nutrition Division is committed to improving the health and well-being of vulnerable communities by delivering accessible, high-quality, and integrated primary healthcare, maternal, newborn, child health, and nutrition services. The division aims to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality by ensuring safe pregnancy, childbirth, postnatal care, family planning, nutrition support, and health education in accordance with Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) guidelines, organizational policies, and humanitarian standards. Through quality clinical care, community engagement, and health promotion, the division contributes to improving maternal and newborn health outcomes and strengthening resilient healthcare systems in underserved communities. The Midwife is responsible for providing high-quality, respectful, and evidence-based maternal and newborn healthcare services in accordance with Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) guidelines, organizational policies, and humanitarian standards. The Midwife delivers comprehensive reproductive, maternal, newborn, and postnatal care, including antenatal care (ANC), normal delivery, postnatal care (PNC), family planning, newborn care, health education, and timely identification and referral of obstetric and neonatal complications. The Midwife works closely with the Medical Doctor, Nurse, Pharmacist, Nutrition Counsellor, and other health staff to ensure the delivery of integrated primary healthcare and nutrition services. The position promotes safe motherhood, infection prevention and control (IPC), breastfeeding, maternal nutrition, and newborn care while maintaining accurate clinical documentation, supporting HMIS reporting, participating in community outreach and health promotion activities, and contributing to continuous quality improvement to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes. Duties and responsibilities Provide comprehensive, respectful, and high-quality maternal and newborn healthcare services in accordance with Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) guidelines, BPHS protocols, WHO recommendations, and organizational policies. Conduct antenatal care (ANC) consultations, including history taking, physical examinations, risk assessment, birth preparedness, and counselling. Provide skilled attendance during normal labour and delivery, ensuring safe childbirth practices and respectful maternity care. Conduct postnatal care (PNC) for mothers and newborns, including assessment, counselling, follow-up, and early identification of complications. Provide essential newborn care, including immediate newborn assessment, thermal care, cord care, breastfeeding support, immunization counselling, and identification of danger signs. Identify and manage obstetric and neonatal complications within the scope of practice and ensure timely referral to higher-level health facilities when required. Provide family planning counselling and services in accordance with national guidelines and client choice. Promote early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, maternal nutrition, and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. Screen pregnant and lactating women and children under five years of age for malnutrition and refer or manage cases according to national IMAM guidelines. Provide health education and counselling on pregnancy, childbirth, newborn care, nutrition, hygiene, birth spacing, immunization, and healthy lifestyle practices. Ensure strict adherence to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures and maintain a clean, safe, and respectful clinical environment. Accurately maintain maternity registers, patient records, partographs, referral forms, and HMIS documentation. Collaborate closely with Medical Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Nutrition Counsellors, Community Health Workers (CHWs), and other health staff to provide integrated, patient-centred care. Participate in community outreach activities, home visits, and health promotion campaigns to improve maternal and newborn health. Monitor medicine, medical supplies, and delivery equipment, reporting shortages and ensuring appropriate use of available resources. Participate in maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR), clinical audits, supportive supervision, and quality improvement initiatives. Maintain patient confidentiality, professional ethics, safeguarding principles, and accountability to affected populations (AAP) in all aspects of service delivery. Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly activity reports and contribute to programme monitoring and reporting requirements. Participate in emergency preparedness and response activities, including maternal and newborn emergency care during humanitarian crises. Perform any other duties assigned by the Medical Doctor, Health and Nutrition Officer, Health Coordinator, or Project Manager that are relevant to the position. Job requirements PERSON SPECIFICATION It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and sympathy with Islamic values and principles as well as commitment to Islamic Relief Worldwide vision, mission and Protection as well as PSEA. Essential: Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications (Bullet Points) Diploma in Midwifery from a recognized institution. Valid registration and license to practice as a Midwife issued by the relevant national regulatory authority. Passed the exit exam. Minimum of 2–3 years of relevant experience in maternal and newborn healthcare, preferably in primary healthcare or humanitarian settings. Sound knowledge of Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) guidelines, BPHS/EPHS standards, and national reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) protocols. Strong clinical skills in antenatal care (ANC), normal labour and delivery, postnatal care (PNC), essential newborn care, and family planning services. Knowledge of early identification and management of obstetric and neonatal complications and appropriate referral procedures. Good understanding of maternal nutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), and Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) referral pathways. Knowledge of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), patient safety, and quality improvement standards. Ability to provide health education and counselling on pregnancy, breastfeeding, newborn care, nutrition, immunization, hygiene, and birth spacing. Strong communication, interpersonal, and counselling skills with the ability to work effectively with women, families, and multidisciplinary teams. Good organizational, problem-solving, and time management skills. Ability to maintain accurate clinical documentation, maternity registers, and HMIS records. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook); familiarity with HMIS/DHIS2 is an advantage. Fluency in written and spoken Pashto, Dari, and English. Willingness and ability to travel frequently to field locations, including remote and underserved communities, as required. Commitment to professional ethics, confidentiality, safeguarding, humanitarian principles, and accountability to affected populations (AAP). Minimum of 2–3 years of relevant professional experience as a Midwife, preferably in primary healthcare, maternity facilities, or humanitarian health programmes. Proven experience in providing comprehensive antenatal care (ANC), skilled birth attendance, postnatal care (PNC), and essential newborn care in accordance with Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) guidelines. Demonstrated experience in conducting normal deliveries, monitoring labour using the partograph, and providing immediate newborn care. Experience in identifying and managing obstetric and neonatal complications within the scope of practice and ensuring timely referral to higher-level health facilities. Experience in providing family planning counselling and reproductive health services in line with national protocols. Experience in promoting maternal nutrition, early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices. Experience in screening pregnant and lactating women and children under five years of age for malnutrition and referring or managing cases according to Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) guidelines. Experience in providing health education and counselling on safe motherhood, newborn care, nutrition, hygiene, immunization, birth preparedness, and birth spacing. Experience in maintaining accurate maternity registers, patient records, referral documentation, and HMIS/DHIS2 reports. Experience in implementing Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures and maintaining quality standards in maternal and newborn healthcare services. Experience working collaboratively with Medical Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Nutrition Counsellors, Community Health Workers (CHWs), and other multidisciplinary team members. Experience in community outreach, home visits, health promotion activities, and strengthening community awareness of maternal and newborn health. Experience participating in supportive supervision, quality improvement initiatives, maternal and perinatal death reviews, and emergency maternal and newborn response activities. Key Personal Qualities (Bullet Points) Desirable: Bachelor's degree in Midwifery from a recognized university is preferable. Demonstrates integrity, honesty, professionalism, and a strong commitment to ethical midwifery practice. Compassionate, respectful, and committed to providing woman-centred and newborn-centred care. Excellent communication, counselling, and active listening skills. Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and maintain positive relationships with women, families, colleagues, and community members. Calm, patient, and able to make sound clinical decisions under pressure, particularly during labour and obstetric emergencies. Strong organizational, planning, and time management skills with the ability to prioritize competing tasks. Ability to work independently while contributing effectively as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Flexible, adaptable, and resilient in challenging, remote, and humanitarian settings. Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills with attention to detail. Committed to continuous professional development and evidence-based midwifery practice. Respectful of cultural diversity and sensitive to the needs of women, newborns, and vulnerable populations. Maintains strict confidentiality and protects patient privacy at all times. Committed to humanitarian principles, safeguarding, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), gender equality, and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA). Self-motivated, proactive, and committed to delivering high-quality maternal and newborn healthcare services. Willingness and ability to travel frequently to field locations and work in resource-limited environments as Working experience in the targeted provinces and familiar with concerned community, geography, and culture (Aybak, Joye Zendan, Ahengaran, Moho and Kajlar Districts).