UN Warning: Limited Access of Rural Afghan Women to Health Services

DID Press: UN Population Fund announced that access of women and pregnant mothers to health services in remote Afghan villages is still severely limited, a situation that poses serious risks to the health of mothers and newborns.

The Fund stated in a report on Wednesday that poor roads, long distances to hospitals, and the lack of health centers near villages force many pregnant women to give birth at home without the presence of skilled health personnel.

According to the report, mobile health teams operate in some of these areas, providing prenatal care, safe delivery, and postnatal care to women in hard-to-reach communities.

The report states that families also receive training on improving the mother’s condition after childbirth, newborn care, nutrition, hygiene, and identifying warning signs during pregnancy and afterwards.

The United Nations agency emphasized that mobile health services have been able to reduce childbirth-related risks and strengthen the sense of security and hope among families living in remote areas.

Afghanistan still has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world; a situation in which decades of war, widespread poverty, and fragile health system infrastructure have seriously limited access to essential reproductive health services.