Asna Asefa Giorgis

Ethiopian midwife who established the first rural maternity clinics in the Horn of Africa

Asna Asefa Giorgis (1928-2014) transformed maternal healthcare in Ethiopia through her pioneering clinic network. Born in Harar, she witnessed extreme maternal mortality rates during traditional home births. After training as a midwife in Addis Ababa (1952), she pioneered the first mobile maternity clinic in 1958 using modified donkey carts. Her 1963 《Health on Wheels》 initiative eventually expanded to 120 clinics across Oromia and Amhara regions.

Giorgis developed culturally sensitive practices including:

• Traditional birth attendant training programs
• Emergency transport networks
• Pre-natal nutrition education

Her 1975 innovation of solar-powered cold storage for vaccines revolutionized immunization in remote areas. The World Health Organization cited her model in their 1981 rural healthcare manual. Giorgis' clinics reduced maternal mortality by 60% in served regions, inspiring similar programs in Kenya and Uganda.

Key contributions:

Her establishment of the first midwifery school in Addis Ababa (1968) created a professional standard. The Asna Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa continues her work today, training over 500 healthcare workers annually. Her legacy is celebrated in the 2019 documentary 《The Birthkeeper》.