Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced that a new restriction imposed in Herat on November 5 — requiring women, including patients, caretakers, and female health workers, to wear a burqa in order to enter medical facilities — has led to a significant decrease in the number of people seeking healthcare.
In a report published by the organization, it stated that statistics show a 28% decrease in patient admissions in the pediatric department of the Herat Regional Hospital in just the first three days after the directive was implemented.
The report adds that this local restriction, suddenly enforced across all public medical centers including Herat Hospital, has created new barriers for women and further disrupted their daily lives.
Sarah Chateau, MSF’s program manager, emphasized: “With this decision, the entry of women patients and caretakers into hospitals is now determined by their clothing, not their medical needs. Any restriction on women seeking healthcare means delays in receiving services and even being deprived of treatment. This will have dangerous consequences for mothers and children who are already facing serious challenges in accessing healthcare.”
The organization also expressed concern that these restrictions have affected service delivery in other parts of the province as well. A similar situation has been reported at the Islam Qala border crossing with Iran.
According to humanitarian organizations, out of more than 100 female employees who previously worked at this crossing point, only three — a midwife, a doctor, and a nurse — are currently allowed to continue working, and only on the condition that they wear a burqa throughout their shift.
This comes as many women recently deported from Iran are arriving in the country in fragile health conditions and are in urgent need of care.
Doctors Without Borders has warned that “the cumulative impact of these restrictions — both in Herat’s medical centers and at the Islam Qala crossing — is alarming.”
It is worth noting that since 2021, women in Afghanistan have been increasingly removed from public life.
