One woman dies in Afghanistan every two hours while trying to give birth and 167 children die in Afghanistan from preventable causes every day. In this bleak context, IDS alumna Tanjila Mazumder Drishti shares more about the dire state of care for pregnant women in Afghanistan and why it is critically important to invest in the country’s maternal healthcare.
Kubra* (20), a woman in Afghanistan, said: ‘I did not see her face. I could not see her face. They told me my baby daughter was born still – without life. They told me I should have paid more attention, that I should have been more careful. But how could I? We have no clinic nearby, and the nearest health professional is several hours away. My sister-in-law said I should have consulted a doctor before. But going to the clinic and coming back costs so much money. With the ongoing crises, even daily food is a challenge. How were we to spare money for transportation?’ *not her real name
According to the UN, “Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a baby, a child, or a mother, and access to a hospital or health facility is beyond the reach of most”. The maternal mortality ratio stands at a staggering 620 per 100,000 live births; which is the highest in Asia and among the 10 worst across the world. This alarming statistic isn’t just a number; it’s a reflection of the daily struggles faced by Afghan women, worsened by socio-political turmoil, economic instability, healthcare inadequacies, and stringent restrictions on women’s rights.
