Pregnant women in Afghanistan face numerous challenges in accessing healthcare services. Even though pregnancy is a natural stage in every woman’s life, the absence of medical facilities and the scarcity of female specialists in both provinces and central areas jeopardize the health and well-being of pregnant women and their children.
Rayhana, a resident of the Khushi district in Logar province, says to us that the absence of female specialist doctors in Logar’s hospitals has compelled pregnant women to seek care in Kabul for the delivery of their children.
“One month ago, my child’s delivery arrived; I went to one of the hospitals in Logar, where the doctor informed me that I required surgery, as it was a week past my expected delivery date. He warned that without the operation, both my child and I faced the risk of death. I was terrified of the surgery and felt compelled to seek care at the Esteqlal Hospital in Kabul. The doctors there assured me that surgery was unnecessary and that my baby would be born healthy, which indeed turned out to be the case.”
The absence of female specialist doctors in the provinces leads to inadequate diagnoses of pregnant women, forcing them to traverse long distances for treatment and childbirth.
“If I had gone to the hospital in Logar province, I would have undergone surgery by now, for there are no female specialist doctors in the provinces. Although Kabul also grapples with the challenges and shortages of female doctors, the situation is comparatively better than in the provinces, lack of access to healthcare services for pregnant women can have severely detrimental consequences for the health of both mothers and their children. According to global statistics, Afghanistan holds one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. This underscores the severe deficiency of female specialist doctors in maternal and child health care throughout the country.
With the gaining of power by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the difficulties and challenges faced by women and girls, particularly pregnant women, have escalated dramatically. The Taliban government must prioritize improving healthcare infrastructure and training healthcare personnel on the significance of prenatal care. Such measures could contribute to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality rates.
- نویسنده : Afghanistan Women News Agency
- منبع خبر : Afghanistan Women News Agency
