The birth of a child is supposed to be a joyous event, with the pain of labor giving way to a mother’s joy in cradling a new life in her arms. But sometimes not everything goes according to plan. Sometimes medical intervention is required to save two lives.

That’s what happened to Mrs. Farida, a 19-year-old mother-to-be in the final stages of pregnancy. Instead of making her journey to the doctor when the time arrived, Farida began to suffer convulsions and fell unconscious; a terrifying prospect for a mother-to-be and her family.

After being turned away by other hospitals, relatives brought Farida to Afshar Hospital for emergency treatment. Afshar’s doctors diagnosed eclampsia, a life-threatening complication. They made the decision to perform an emergency C-section, to save Farida’s life and the life of her new baby.

The C-section was successful and the baby was born healthy, but Farida’s condition worsened. She fell into a coma, with Afshar’s doctors providing close observation and excellent care.

But the potential tragedy turned instead into a joyous occasion. After three days of care at Afshar, Farida came out of the coma. Farida recovered fully, and mother and child returned home to begin their lives together.

Of course, Farida’s relatives expressed their gratitude, but it wasn’t just because two lives were saved. They were grateful because other hospitals had neither the capability nor the willingness to take on a higher-risk case like Farida’s, and instead turned her away at the door. Before Afshar, no Afghanistan hospital had such capability, and without Afshar, Farida and her child would never have survived.

Thanks to your generous support, Afshar Hospital delivered 1,974 babies in 2017.

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