Veteran nurse & midwife, who assisted in over 1000 childbirths in Kharang area, passes away

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 16, 2024

Kyiek Mukhim, a veteran nurse and midwife, who successfully assisted in over 1000 childbirths in the remote Kharang area of East Khasi Hills, has on Monday died. She was 88.

Her final journey will take place on September 19, 2024, at the Unitarian Church Kharang Cemetery at 12 noon.

Kyiek Mukhim, hailed from a remote village of Meghalaya’s East Khasi hills district, took voluntary retirement due to age-related ailments.

She had facilitated delivery of over 1,000 babies in the past 62 years of her service.

Mukhim, lovingly called as Kong Kyiek in her locality, had worked full-time at the Kharang Rural Centre (KRC).

The KRC was founded by English-born humanitarian worker Annie Margaret Barr.

Mukhim, a mother of six, was one of the first few students adopted by Barr at her rural centre in 1952.

She went on to complete her education, nursing training and internship at the Shillong Civil Hospital, Ganesh Das Hospital and the TB Hospital here for three years after which she started working at the KRC.

Mukhim married Dranwell Wahlang in 1957 at the age of 20.

Located at about 40 km from here, Kharang village has 352 families with a population of 2117, as per 2011 census.

The adjoining villages – Pingwait, Mawlein, Dienglieng, Nongjrong — with over 800 households have an approximate population of 6,000.