Amina Doumbo Koné

A Malian midwife and health advocate who pioneered maternal healthcare innovations in West Africa

Amina Doumbo Koné (1878-1962) was a trailblazing midwife from Mali who transformed childbirth practices across West Africa. Starting as an apprentice to her mother, she developed innovative techniques for managing high-risk pregnancies and postpartum care. Her community-based approach established the first midwifery school in Bamako in 1910, training over 200 practitioners. Koné's UNFPA profile highlights her creation of mobile clinics that reached remote villages, reducing maternal mortality rates by 40% in her region.

Despite colonial authorities' resistance, Koné collaborated with French doctors to establish the first maternity hospital in 1920. Her ethnographic research on traditional childbirth practices preserved indigenous knowledge while integrating modern techniques. The British Museum holds her handwritten notes on herbal remedies still used today. Koné's legacy endures through the Amina Doumbo Koné Award for Maternal Health, presented annually by the African Union. Her story is chronicled in Midwives of Mali, a 2015 documentary now available on Documentary platforms.