In conversation with Dr. Preeti Shakya, Founder and CEO of Maatri Nepal- a non-profit organization aiming to end maternal mortality by preventing maternal deaths owing to postpartum haemorrhage in Nepal. She is a physician, writer and social impact entrepreneur. She holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from Janaki Medical College, Tribhuvan University. She also founded Project In Her Hands— a volunteer initiative to combat menstrual stigma and promote menstrual equity in Nepal. Dr. Shakya is the recipient of the D-Prize Award. She was also awarded the Students Projects for Health Award for ‘Project In Her Hands’ in 2018. Project In Her Hands has also been recently recognized by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health to become a member of the AYSRH Global Program of Action Youth Coalition. A documentary film she directed titled ‘The Gods will be Angry’ was placed first runner up in the Global Impact Category at Connect Her Girls Impact the World Film Festival 2018.

In this episode of DevDive, she speaks to us about her early experiences that led her to work in the healthcare sector, her initiative for ensuring menstrual health and awareness, and her recent venture to prevent maternal deaths. She shares her insights on the impact of the pandemic on maternal health and mortality, and the need for all stakeholders to come together and address the problem. We conclude by asking Dr. Preeti to share her D-Dream with us.