There is always a reason to find hope.
As we begin the year, many countries are still facing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while, at the same time, conflict, disaster and obstacles to accessing care have hit people hard around the world.
But, in the middle of humanitarian crises, hopeful mothers and our expert doctors and midwives are still welcoming new life into the world.
From four MSF hospitals in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Yemen, meet just some of the first babies born into our care in 2022.
Afghanistan
At an MSF hospital in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, baby Marwa was born at 12:00 am exactly on New Year’s Day.
Her mother Gul Sima was very happy to be cared for by MSF after bad experiences with private clinics for her older children’s births.
With no complications, both mother and baby are doing well.
Less than an hour later at Khost – MSF’s largest maternity hospital worldwide – three babies were born to three different mothers within minutes of each other.
The first to arrive was a little girl (left) at 12:40 am, whose mother had travelled for one and a half hours to reach the hospital.
Next, a baby boy (centre) was born at 12:45 am. He is the mother’s third child.Finally, another girl (right) was welcomed into the world at 12:50 am. Her mother, Sharifa, had made it to the hospital just 10 minutes before, and gave birth in the hospital admission room with the help of our staff.
Bangladesh
Soyedulla was born at an MSF hospital in the Cox's Bazar region of Bangladesh, where our teams are responding to the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis. Weighing 2.66 kg, Soyedulla arrived in the first few minutes of 2022 at 12:05 am.
The parents hope that their baby one day becomes a hafiz or ‘memoriser’ – a term used to describe someone who has completely learned the Quran.
At another MSF project in the area, Baby Somira arrived at 11:40 pm towards the end of New Year’s Day, weighing 2.74 kg. Her mum and dad would like her to be able to have a good education.
And, on 2 January, Mohammad was born at 2:30 pm. Sharing their hopes, his parents dream that he will one day grow up to become a doctor.
Pakistan
At 12:41 am, Husna and Amanullah welcomed their new son at MSF’s Women’s Hospital in Peshawar – a specialist facility that offers emergency care for mothers facing complicated deliveries.
The parents, who are Afghans now living in Pakistan, haven’t decided on their baby’s name yet, however, they hope he grows up to become a good teacher.
Shortly after, at 12:56 am, Zahida delivered her baby via caesarean section. The new mother and her husband were very grateful to the team at Peshawar for taking care of them and their 2.88 kg son.
“We are very happy because we are blessed with a baby after seven years of marriage,” says Zahida. “We wish for him to become a doctor and we are very thankful to MSF.”
And, at an MSF maternity unit in Dera Murad Jamali, little Muhammad Ali arrived weighing 2.6 kg at 5:25 am.
“I pray that my baby at the start of the new year is a reason for happiness and blessings to the world and our family,” says his mother.
At MSF’s birthing unit at Kuchlak Healthcare Facility in Quetta, two babies were born at exactly the same time of 6:20 am.
Fatima welcomed a baby boy (left), sharing that she hopes he will become a businessman who helps people.
Nearby, Sahifa gave birth to a baby girl (right), who she wishes will become a religious teacher in future.
Yemen
Shortly after midnight at 12:04 am on the first day of 2022, this little girl was born in Yemen’s Taiz city weighing 2.8 kg.
“I wish that the war ends,” says her mother, Omima, “and my child has a great, happy and safe life.”
In the same MSF ward, Gamila gave birth to a boy at 12:40 am.
She shared the same message of both happiness and hope that the war will stop.
Finally, in Houban, this baby boy was welcomed into his new family by Suliman, his father.
His mother hopes that her new son, weighing just 2.2 kg, will be a good member of the community and will help others in future.
