Miriam Were

A Ugandan gynecologist who transformed women's healthcare through community-centered medical innovation

Miriam Were (1938-2019) was a pioneering Ugandan physician whose work in reproductive health made groundbreaking contributions to African medicine. Trained in London during the 1960s, she returned to Uganda in 1967 to confront the country's severe maternal mortality crisis. As founder of the Mbarara University of Science and Technology's School of Medicine, she developed low-cost solutions like the 'Mbarara Model' for postpartum care that reduced hemorrhage deaths by 70% in rural areas.

Were's most significant contribution came in the 1980s when she pioneered mobile health units that brought services to remote villages. These innovations became the blueprint for the WHO's Essential Health Care program. Her 1994 research on traditional birth attendants' roles led to policy changes recognizing their role in maternal care systems. She also established Uganda's first national registry for birth defects, revealing critical epidemiological patterns.

Ambassador for UNFPA programs, Were's work influenced health policies across East Africa. Her memoir Delivering Hope (2010) details her struggles during Idi Amin's regime when she secretly trained midwives. The documentary Dr. Were's Legacy (2016) chronicles her 50-year career. Her methods remain core curriculum in WHO's global health training programs.