The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for Afghanistan has announced that women and girls in the country are at increased risk of mortality and various diseases due to lack of access to healthcare.
In a message posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account, the organization expressed concern over the restricted access of Afghan women and girls to safe and effective healthcare services. It also stated that, in collaboration with the UK, it is providing life-saving services to ensure women can access healthcare without obstacles.
Quoting Fauzia, a woman from Nangarhar province, UNFPA reported: “My child is very sick. I have two other children who were also born at home. Without money, we couldn’t go anywhere for medical help.”
Malalai Amin, a worker at a health center in the same province, also emphasized that villagers cannot afford the costs of treatment at distant healthcare facilities.
Malalai added: “People have high expectations from us because this clinic is in a very remote area. Poverty is widespread here, and people don’t even have 10 Afghanis to pay for transportation to other clinics or to buy medicine.”
In its report, UNFPA stressed the need for sustainable investment to guarantee safe and unrestricted access to healthcare for women in Afghanistan.
The organization stated: “Together with our partners and donors, we are providing life-saving healthcare services in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health to counter the severe impacts of the humanitarian crisis on women and girls.”
It is worth noting that Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal and newborn mortality rates in the world. The lack of specialized medical staff, particularly female doctors, insufficient medical equipment, and the shortage of hospitals and healthcare centers in remote provinces are among the key factors contributing to the rising maternal and newborn mortality in the country.
Health experts and international organizations have repeatedly warned that without adequate support for the healthcare system, the situation for women and children in Afghanistan will worsen. While many countries are reducing maternal mortality rates, Afghanistan continues to face a deep crisis in this area.
