MPH graduate wants to empower women with knowledge about their health
Zeest Mahmood Jalib, MPH ’26, shares how dealing with her diagnosis of PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome, now known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS) led her to public health and how lessons learned from her time at Harvard Chan School have empowered her to advocate for better health care for women in Pakistan. “I dream of having a space in Pakistan where women can come in, they can enjoy each other’s company, a space that [has] experienced professionals who know what PCOS is, who know how to cater to questions [about] PCOS.”
Full transcript
When I got married, I went to the doctor in Dubai. I gave her all my history and then she told me that I had PCOS, which is polycystic ovary syndrome. The first thing that came to my mind was an instant relief that I know what’s going on in my body.
That made me think that how I was catered [to] in Pakistan is extremely sad, because I was not told how it’s going to impact me, but rather just told that [I should] get married and have kids because that’s what society expects you to do. That thought stuck with me for a long time, and it just helped bring me to a certain decision that I want to apply for master’s in public health.
When I started my school, my husband, he was already working in Saudi [Arabia], and I already had a kid, and I also had twins during my school year. Sadly, my husband would only come whenever he would get a break. Having this community meant a lot for me, coming from Pakistan. I managed. I managed with my [Harvard] Chan community.
I want my daughters to have that faith in themselves. I want them to have that confidence that when and if they are having some concerns, they should have that confidence to question it.
I dream of having a space in Pakistan where women can come in, they can enjoy each other’s company—a space that [has] experienced professionals who know what PCOS is, who know how to cater questions towards PCOS.
Female health in Pakistan needs to get a change. It needs to create a space for women to have some conversations. One thing that Harvard Chan helped me was to ask questions. It helped me find spaces where I can have conversations that can help me be better as a person and as a professional or even as a mom.
