Beloved Mother, Wife, Daughter and Sister
Cherished Friend and Colleague
Champion Midwife Who Saved the Lives of Countless Mothers and Babies

 

Mrs. Ukoko was devoted to her family and is survived by her husband, Jonathan Ukoko; her daughters, Melissa and Nasha; her mother; siblings and other family members. Professionally, Felicity was known as a passionate and effective advocate for the health of women and children and saved countless lives in her years of dedicated work.

 

Mrs Felicity Aliana Ukoko (née Mapuvire) was born in Gweru, Zimbabwe, in 1966. Soon after graduating as a nurse at Parirenyatwa Hospital Harare in 1992, she moved to the United Kingdom where she worked briefly as a staff nurse before embarking on midwifery training at St George’s Teaching Hospital, London.

 

Felicity gained her B.A. (Honours) in Midwifery and Women’s Health Studies and Masters in Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University. She also studied Sociology of Health & Illness and Environmental Health at King’s College London, and holds qualifications in project management.

 

Felicity joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in 2003 as Specialist Midwife for pregnant asylum seekers awaiting dispersal in the London Borough of Lambeth. In recognition of her work, she received the British Journal of Midwifery, Community Midwife of the Year award in 2005.

 

Felicity was involved in the delivery of Sure Start government programmes focusing on providing a range of maternity services for vulnerable pregnant women and their babies.  Following the Health Care Commission (HCC) review of maternity services in 2007, Felicity was appointed Project Lead at St George’s Hospital with a remit to implement action plans in line with the review.

 

In 2010 Felicity joined Barking Havering and Redbridge University Trust (BHRUT) and in her role as the Maternity Lead for Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trust (CNST) she was instrumental in the Trust’s successful achievement of CNST level 1 and 2.

 

She was hired by Imperial College Health Partners, an Academic Health Science Network (AHSN), where she served as Project Manager focusing on Patient Safety across the North-West of London. She returned to midwifery services and joined Barts Health NHS Trust as Maternity Project Lead, working closely with the Newham Care Commissioning Group.

Felicity was the founding member of White Ribbon Alliance Zimbabwe and worked in partnership with Liverpool Associate Tropical Health (LATH), Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Zimbabwe and members of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives (ZICOM). Felicity’s passion and determination for women’s health and women’s experience was recognised by White Ribbon Alliance who appointed her as their champion.

 

Felicity then joined the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) in June 2015 as Head of Advocacy and Midwifery, a role which she used to successfully champion WBFA’s Mamacare Antenatal and Postnatal Programme in Abuja, Kwara and Lagos States. Her outstanding diligence and experience as a midwife in the UK, combined with her insights into maternal and child healthcare, meant that she was both highly effective and widely respected.

 

Felicity was an excellent midwife of considerable experience and significant repute and a committed colleague, whose actions not only helped embed midwifery at the heart of WBFA’s vision, mission and programs, but also saved the lives of countless expectant mothers across Nigeria through WBFA’s MamaCare Antenatal and Postnatal Program, which she designed and implemented so successfully.

 

Those who had the good fortune to know Felicity in any capacity will never forget her devotion and care. Please share your stories and memories of Felicity on this page.