Midwife Maria, The Superheroine of Morocco.
On the night of September 8, when the most destructive earthquake in Morocco's recent history shook the Atlas Mountains, midwife Maria was working her shift at a maternal health center in Talat N'Yaagoub.
Rescued from the rubble after the devastating earthquake, superhero Maria has emerged as a beacon of hope and now helps bring babies into the world and save lives as the catastrophe unfolds relentlessly around her.
It is estimated that due to the devastation caused by the earthquake, more than 300.000 people in and around Marrakesh were profoundly affected, leaving indelible marks on entire communities and changing the course of lives in unimaginable ways.
According to the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior, 2.946 deaths and 5.674 serious injuries have been confirmed so far. Among those affected are 1.500 pregnant women who are expected to give birth in the next three months, which will prove to be a real struggle for survival and determination, in the face of this adversity.
Midwife Maria
“Trapped under the rubble, I thought I was going to die.”
Said Maria, a midwife from Talat N'Yaagoub – a town located in the Atlas Mountains, close to the epicenter of the earthquake – recalling the harrowing moments in which she found herself trapped.
She was working her shift as a midwife at a maternal health center when the most destructive earthquake in Morocco's recent history hit on the night of September 8.
“That night was difficult, but once my colleagues helped me out of the wreckage, we were all able to help and save lives.”
Maria said that she had previously received training in health emergency response from the UNFPA, the sexual and reproductive health agency of United Nations.
Talat N'Yaagoub is just 16 kilometers from the epicenter of the earthquake. As terrified residents fled the destroyed homes, a series of strong aftershocks brought even more destruction to an otherwise chaotic scene.
The current confirmed figures are 2.946 dead and 5.674 seriously injured. However, these numbers are probably underestimated, as rescue teams were unable to reach all precarious and inaccessible areas of the mountainous terrain.
More than 300.000 people in and around Marrakesh are estimated to have been affected, including more than 1.500 pregnant women who are expected to give birth in the next three months.
With hospitals and other medical facilities damaged or destroyed in disaster-stricken villages, the prospect of survival for these women can easily become life-threatening, especially if they face complications during pregnancy or childbirth.
Mary, the Indefatigable
Rescued from the wreckage, Maria quickly put her skills to use to save the lives of others. Coordinating with local authorities to organize helicopter evacuations for nearly all pregnant women in the affected area, she ensured they received the urgent medical attention they needed.
But there was an even more critical task to be accomplished, as she realized that two of the women were in labor. Amidst the total devastation, Maria used the medicines she managed to salvage from the wreckage of the health center to help them both safely give birth to healthy babies – two of them twins.
Maria had participated in a UNFPA-supported initiative that, over the past two years, helped train more than 500 midwives in emergency procedures to provide sexual and reproductive health in crisis situations.
Participants learned best practices for quickly providing family planning supplies and information, performing emergency obstetric operations and supporting survivors of gender-based violence.
Delivered in conjunction with midwifery associations and the national family planning association, the training sessions strengthened the knowledge and skills of health professionals like Maria to help women and girls during emergencies.
UNFPA lobbied decision-makers to prioritize preparedness and establish local and national networks of health professionals who can ensure a rapid and specialized response during a humanitarian crisis.
Health, Shelter and Support Structures
National authorities are leading the response to the tragedy, but there are growing needs for emergency aid, food, water, shelter and medical support.
Thousands of homes have been destroyed and many people seek refuge in public facilities and sleep outdoors for fear of more building collapses. In these circumstances, as in all humanitarian crises, women and girls with little protection or access to resources are at acute risk of gender-based violence and coercion.
Access to quality health services, information and protection from violence are crucial: UNFPA remains dedicated to ensuring that the people of Morocco, and local organizations, receive the support they need to protect reproductive health and well-being of women and girls in the region.
Conclusion
After surviving the disaster, Maria, a midwife in Talat N'Yaagoub, Morocco, emerged as a superhero during September's devastating earthquake. After her rescue, she coordinated helicopter evacuations for pregnant women and even helped others give birth safely, demonstrating the importance of the emergency training she received.
The UNFPA initiative that trained Maria and other midwives to act in crisis situations proved to be fundamental and the tragedy highlighted the urgent need for humanitarian aid and support for vulnerable women in similar situations.
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See also:
Earthquake in Morocco: 2.862 dead so far
Earthquake in Morocco: Tragedy Shakes the Country
Picture: © 2023 Davide Bonaldo
