OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has announced that Afghanistan continues to have one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.
In a report, the agency stated that according to 2024 estimates, approximately 638 deaths per 100,000 live births have been recorded; a figure that represents the highest rate in Asia and the seventh highest globally.
OCHA emphasized that the shortage of female healthcare workers, reduced financial resources, limited access to essential medicines, and inadequate emergency obstetric care services are key factors contributing to preventable maternal and neonatal deaths, particularly in rural areas of Afghanistan.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs added that the current state of women’s health crises may worsen further.
OCHA cited UNICEF, stating that if current restrictions on girls’ education continue, Afghanistan will lose more than 25,000 female teachers and healthcare workers by 2030.
This comes at a time when Afghanistan’s healthcare system has faced extensive challenges for decades, including a lack of medical facilities, specialized doctors, and medications. In many remote provinces of the country, healthcare centers are still nonexistent.
