Safety and dignity: delivering maternal healthcare in Cox’s Bazar

Above: Majuma, a Rohingya refugee who gave birth at the Save the Children health clinic, supported by the Australian Government, now encourages others to seek care there. Photo: Rubina Hoque Alee/Save the Children

“I have given birth to three children in three places. Among them, giving birth at the Save the Children hospital is the best. I was satisfied at this place,” Majuma* says, her voice filled with gratitude.

Life in a Rohingya refugee camp is never easy - crowded shelters, limited resources, and an uncertain future weigh heavily on everyone. But when Majuma talks about the birth of her youngest daughter, her face softens with a smile. This time, things were different. This time, she felt safe.

Her journey to that moment had been anything but easy. Her first daughter, now eight years old, was born in Myanmar without any medical support. Her second child, five years old, came into the world inside their fragile shelter in the refugee camp - no midwife, no medicine, just pain and fear. But with her third baby, everything changed.

The day her labor pains started, she had knew about a new health clinic nearby. For the first time, there was a place she could go for help. That morning, she registered for a health card. By evening, as the contractions grew stronger, she returned to the clinic nervous, but hopeful.

“I gave birth to my child properly here,” she recalls, her eyes shining with relief. “After the delivery, Apa cleaned my baby, wrapped her in cloth, and tucked her safely under a mosquito net. They even gave me clothes for her to wear. I felt so good.”

For the first time, she wasn’t alone. The midwives treated her with kindness, offering more than just medical care. They ran tests, vaccinated the baby, and gave Majuma medicine to ease her pain. Every little gesture -checking on her through the night, offering warm words - made her feel like she mattered.

In the clinic, women affectionately call the midwives “Apa”, meaning “sister” — a small word that carries warmth and care. And for women like Majuma, that care means everything.

Razia, one of the midwives, knows how much that connection matters.

“My duty starts with my patient and ends with my patient,” she says with quiet pride. “We support pregnant women with deliveries day and night. This is how my day starts and ends.”

Above: Midwife Razia checks Majuma’s four-month-old baby girl at the clinic. Photo: Rubina Hoque Alee/Save the Children

She’s been working with Save the Children for five years, but every birth still touches her heart.

“When I hold that baby in my two hands, I feel such gratitude,” she says softly. “I welcome the baby with greetings. I welcome the mother. I am satisfied with my work.”

Many women arrive at the clinic scared, unsure if they will be treated with kindness. But Razia and her team make sure every mother feels safe.

“When a mother comes to us, we welcome her with ‘Salam’ and warm greetings,” she explains. “We call her ‘Ma —- mother. At first, many are shy. But when we speak to them with love and care, they open up. They trust us.”

That trust spreads quickly in the community. After her delivery, Majuma couldn’t stop telling others about her experience.

“When I went back home, I told others to come here,” she says proudly. “Many people came after hearing my feedback.”

Her voice softens when she thinks back to her previous births. In Myanmar, she had no medical support. In the camp, she delivered her second child with no help at all. Both times, the pain was unbearable, and fear filled every moment. This time was different.

“This time, I came to the Save the Children hospital,” she says. “Apa gave me medicine to relieve the pain. I had everything I needed here. I felt peaceful and happy.”

For the midwives, that’s what makes their work meaningful. They know their care extends beyond the delivery room. Mothers return for check-ups, family planning, and advice. Some are so grateful, they name their babies after the midwives who helped deliver them.

“One mother was so happy she named her baby after my colleague,” Razia says with a smile. “This is our achievement. We feel so proud that they trust us so much.”

Majuma still visits the clinic for postnatal care, her baby girl cradled in her arms. Each visit is a reminder of how much has changed and how safe she felt at the clinic.

“They feel very comfortable in this hospital. They are happy here,” Majuma says, thinking of the other women she has encouraged to seek care.

For Majuma and so many others, the clinic is more than just a place to give birth. It’s a place where they are treated with dignity and compassion. It’s a place where they feel safe. And, most importantly, it’s a place where new life begins with hope.

Save the Children’s primary health care centre in Cox’s Bazar is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership.

*Name changed