Episode Details

Dr. Nabeel Zafar of the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health came into the WORT studio to tell us about two rather astonishing and connected subjects: a glamorous stage comedy coming to Madison on September 12th and women’s obstetric health in Pakistan. The comedy is Anarkali, a folk tale from India’s Mughal era reworked as a comedy. It is performed in Urdu, with subtitles to make the jokes accessible to everyone. Its actors are an ensemble of volunteers from the Atlanta, Georgia area and has toured Pakistan, the U.S., the UK and Europe to great acclaim. ANARKALI September 12 4:00 – 8:00 PM Starlight Theater, Madison Youth Arts, 1055 E. Mifflin St., Madison Anarkali, entertaining as it is, is a fundraiser for the Koohi Goth Women’s Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Dr. Zafar, who is from a family of Pakistani doctors, told us how his family and their friends started it as a small, rural hospital to address the needs of poor Pakistani mothers who were dying or disabled by childbirth. Believing that women should not die in childbirth, the hospital staff initially provided free safe delivery and medical care for mothers. Realizing that not all pregnant women could travel to the hospital, they began providing training for local midwives which grew to include training midwife teachers, community health workers, nurses, nursing assistants and medical workers who could provide all aspects of care to mothers and babies. Local and international partners like the UNFPA, USAID and the Clinton Global Initiative and other groups, including the actors from Atlanta, help spread training in maternal care throughout Pakistan. Now the hospital is growing and flourishing as it builds a medical school and continues to offer free maternal health services. And we also benefit by knowing about these good works by people of good will and by having access to fun, eye-opening entertainment that offers us a way to help as well. Dr. Nabeel Zafar bio: www.surgery.wisc.edu/staff/nabeel-zafar/ Koohi Goth Women's Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan: www.koohigothhospital.org.pk/ And if you cannot make it to the performance, here's a link if you'd like to donate to the Koohi Goth Hospital in partnership with National Health Forum US - a 501c charitable organization: https://nhfus.org/ Reviews in English www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1002829608864305 www.facebook.com/watch/?v=811273628696024 www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1758849202121778