Following the reduction of financial support from donor countries in Afghanistan, challenges and barriers to women’s and girls’ access to health services have increased, rendering the healthcare system vulnerable.
Meanwhile, some women residing in remote areas of Badghis province have complained about the lack of access to health services in their areas, as they have had to resort to travelling to the Herat Provincial Hospital for treatment.
Somaya, a resident of Badghis province, has brought her daughter to the Herat Provincial Hospital for treatment and expressed discontent with the lack of healthcare facilities in their province.
“My daughter is ill, and there is no female doctor in our village. My husband also does not want us to visit a male doctor. We were forced to come to the city. If there were facilities in our village, we would not be wandering around, and our expenses would not have increased,” Somaya said.
One of the biggest challenges faced by women, in addition to the lack of access to health services, is the absence of female doctors and midwives in their communities and villages. Some of these women have shared stories of losing their lives or their infants due to the absence of a doctor or midwife during childbirth.
Gulmakai is another woman who has raised concerns about the lack of health services in Badghis.
“There is a clinic in our village, but it does not provide the services we need to address our health issues. When we go to the doctor, they tell us that they cannot treat us here and advise us to go elsewhere to resolve our problems. We are forced to go to Herat province to address our issues,” Gulmakai said.
These women mentioned that the lack of assistance and health services has led to long journeys and exorbitant costs, resulting in some pregnant mothers losing their lives and their babies either before or during childbirth.
Furthermore, visitors from Farah and Ghor provinces who have come to Herat province for medical treatment have also reported the inadequacy of healthcare facilities in the clinics where they reside. They noted that the number of female doctors has significantly decreased, and they are compelled to undertake long journeys at higher costs to address their health issues.
- نویسنده : Afghanistan Women News Agency
- منبع خبر : Afghanistan Women News Agency
