Kate turns interviewer as she speaks with midwife to mark cause close to the duchess' heart

The Duchess of Cambridge says she is "in awe" of the work nurses do, particularly one midwife she recently interviewed to raise the profile of the profession.

Kate took on the role of journalist to speak with Harriet Nayiga, a midwife in Uganda who is helping vulnerable young women in remote communities.

The interview was published in Nursing Times to mark International Day of the Midwife, May 5.

It also heralded the completion of Nursing Now, a three-year global campaign to raise the status and profile of nursing.

Kate is patron of Nursing Now and launched the project in February 2018 at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London.

The interview between the duchess and Nayiga was done in March, with Kate speaking to the midwife via a video call.

Kate wore a cobalt blue blazer from Zara, costing just over $100.

"I'm in awe of all that you're doing," the Duchess of Cambridge told Nayiga.

"It really is inspiring. We need more of you Harriet."

Nayiga is the founder of MILCOT (Midwife-led Community Transformation), a community organisation providing advice and support for vulnerable women and girls in Nansana, Uganda.

Nurses and midwives form the backbone of health care delivery in Uganda, making up 75 per cent of the public health care workforce.

They are usually the first point of contact for patients, especially in hard to reach areas where healthcare resources can be scarce.

Nayiga said she had the idea to create MILCOT after seeing young girls, some aged just 10, falling pregnant – often after sexual violence.

"I met one 17-year-old who had nothing," Nayiga told the duchess.

"Her baby had died and she had a high risk of bleeding. She over bled due to a post-partum haemorrhage and her uterus was not spared as she had to undergo a hysterectomy.

"That sent me to the community to help young girls like this and provide the information they need to prevent this."

Kate praised Nayiga, saying she could see her "passion and dedication".

"Hopefully one day I can come and see your amazing work first-hand," the duchess said.

"It's so fantastic that organisations like MILCOT are on a global stage, being able to share their best practice. You should feel hugely proud of all the hard work and effort that goes into it."

As well has having an interest in nursing, the Duchess of Cambridge has a personal connection – both her great-grandmother and grandmother were volunteer nurses.

She also chose the cover of Nursing Times for the May 2021 edition which features the piece.

The organisation Kate is patron of, Nursing Now, has supported Nayiga's work by introducing her to a network of global health leaders and helping her to build self-confidence.

Nayiga has also taken part in Nursing Now's Nightingale Challenge leadership programme to provide training and development opportunities for a cohort of her fellow midwives, nurses and other health professionals.

Kate has also thrown her support behind the medical community with her debut book, Hold Still: A Portrait Of Our Nation In 2020, to be published tomorrow, May 7.

The duchess curated the book which features 100 photographs illustrating the past year of the coronavirus pandemic.

It's the culmination of Kate's Hold Still photography project that she began during the height of COVID-19.

The book includes images of key frontline workers and people isolated from family and friends.

Kate says the book will serve as a "lasting record of what we were all experiencing".