International Day of Rural Women and the Healthcare Every Woman Deserves
Poverty Should Not Decide Who Gets Medical Care
We live in a world divided by wealth, social stigma and deep-rooted stereotypes. But should a woman’s financial status determine whether she receives medical care? Absolutely not. Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.
A 2026 publication in the Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association highlights structural challenges facing rural healthcare in Pakistan, including the affordability of basic medical care and shortages of healthcare staff and facilities. When essential medicines are beyond a family’s budget and qualified medical help is miles away, even a treatable condition can become a serious threat.
Behind these challenges are women whose suffering often goes unseen: a mother postponing treatment because she cannot afford a consultation, or a pregnant woman travelling miles to reach a hospital. Their struggle is not always the absence of medical solutions, but the barriers preventing them from accessing care.
Every woman deserves healthcare with dignity, regardless of her income or where she lives. This International Day of Rural Women, supports Patients’ Aid Foundation in providing free healthcare at JPMC, Karachi. Your donation can help ensure that financial hardship never stands between a woman and the treatment she needs.
Islam Teaches Us to Protect the Health and Dignity of Women
Islam teaches us to care for those in need and recognise our responsibilities towards others.
The Holy Quran reminds us of the importance of giving to those who need support.
“Spend from the good things which you have earned.” - Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 267, Para 3 (Juz 3).
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also emphasised helping people experiencing hardship:
“Then he should help the person in need who is distressed.”- Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6022.
These teachings carry particular meaning when we consider women who struggle to access healthcare. A pregnant woman should not have to fear the cost of childbirth. A mother should not have to ignore her symptoms because her family’s limited income is needed elsewhere. And a woman living in a remote village should not be left without medical attention simply because the nearest equipped hospital is beyond her reach.
Huqooq ul Ibad, the rights we owe to others, reminds us to treat people with kindness and fairness. During his Farewell Pilgrimage, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “And indeed I order you to be good to the women.” (Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1163). This teaching reminds us of our responsibility to care for women, including helping them access essential healthcare.
A woman’s health is not a luxury, and her suffering should never be dismissed because she is poor. This International Day of Rural Women, 15th October, let us turn our concern into action. Through the Patients’ Aid Foundation, you can help support free healthcare at JPMC, Karachi, contributing towards medical services for patients who cannot afford treatment.
Donate to Patients’ Aid Foundation and help ensure that financial hardship does not stand between a woman and the healthcare she deserves.
Why Rural Women in Pakistan Need Better Access to Healthcare
Imagine a woman who spends her day working in the fields, preparing meals and caring for her children. She experiences persistent weakness but postpones a medical appointment because the nearest hospital is far away, transport costs money and her family depends on her daily work. Her story is illustrative, but the barriers are real. We don’t realise but many women are living this horrific reality.
Rural women’s health concerns extend beyond pregnancy and childbirth. Without preventive care, timely diagnosis and consistent treatment, manageable health conditions can become serious.
| Healthcare challenge | Why it matters |
| Maternal healthcare | Limited antenatal check-ups and emergency obstetric services can increase risks during pregnancy and childbirth. |
| Anaemia and malnutrition | Nutritional deficiencies can affect a woman’s energy, general health and pregnancy outcomes. |
| Breast and cervical health | Limited awareness and delayed medical assessment can postpone diagnosis. |
| Financial barriers | Transport, investigations, medicines and treatment costs can discourage timely care. |
| Reproductive health | Limited access to confidential consultations and health education can leave concerns unaddressed. |
| Chronic illnesses | Gaps in follow-up care can make conditions harder to manage. |
These challenges require investment in community health education, trained healthcare workers, maternal services, diagnostic facilities and affordable treatment. Rural women also need the freedom and support to seek medical advice without unnecessary delay.
Help Mothers Receive Safer Pregnancy and Childbirth Care
Pregnancy requires consistent attention, from antenatal check-ups and nutritional advice to skilled delivery care and postnatal follow-up. When complications develop, access to an appropriately equipped hospital can be critical.
However, a woman living far from a medical facility may face several obstacles before reaching a doctor. Transport arrangements, household responsibilities and the cost of treatment can delay the care she needs.
Patients’ Aid Foundation supports the Gynae and Obstetrics Centre at JPMC, which receives women seeking free childbirth services from Karachi, interior Sindh, Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan. Gynae and Obstetrics Centre at Jinnah Hospital supported by Patients’ Aid Funds for its expanded facility includes a labour ward, outpatient clinics, an eclampsia room, recovery facilities and a neonatal intensive care unit.
These services matter because safe childbirth requires more than the delivery itself. Mothers may need emergency procedures, blood transfusions, monitoring and post-delivery care.
Donate towards maternal healthcare to help support services for women who might otherwise struggle to afford treatment.
How Patients’ Aid Foundation Supports Free Healthcare at JPMC
Established in 1990, Patients’ Aid Foundation supports free healthcare for underprivileged patients at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in Karachi, working alongside the Government of Sindh.
Its work spans more than 20 medical departments and includes support for Accident and Emergency, Radiology, Oncology, Nephrology and Dialysis, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and outpatient services. The foundation also supports specialised facilities such as CyberKnife and Tomotherapy for cancer treatment.
For women travelling from rural areas, access to a major public hospital can be particularly important when local facilities cannot provide the required specialist care. Patients’ Aid helps support services that reduce financial barriers for eligible patients receiving treatment at JPMC.
Its contribution is not limited to one medical condition. From childbirth and diagnostic investigations to cancer care and medicines, the foundation supports a range of healthcare needs.
Explore the Patients’ Aid Foundation donation options and choose a fund that matches your giving priorities. You can donate online, donate through bank transfer or arrange doorstep donation collection in Karachi. The foundation also provides a Roz ka Sadqa programme for people who wish to contribute regularly.
This October Help Make Healthcare Easier to Reach
International Day of Rural Women asks us to recognise the women who sustain families, contribute to agriculture and care for their communities, often while placing their own health last.
We cannot remove every barrier to rural healthcare in a single day. But we can support medical services that help patients receive treatment without the burden of unaffordable costs.
Patients’ Aid Foundation continues to support free healthcare at JPMC, Karachi, through donations that help sustain essential and specialised medical services.
This October, let your generosity reach a woman who needs care. Donate to Patients’ Aid Foundation, support maternal healthcare and help make medical treatment accessible to patients who cannot afford it.
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