The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that 20 women in Kandahar have completed their midwifery training program.
The training program, supported by UNHCR, has also benefited approximately 260 women across Kandahar, Zabul, Urozgan, and Nimroz.
Despite this progress, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has recently highlighted a critical need for 18,000 skilled midwives in Afghanistan. The organization warns that if this need is not met, the lives of many women could be at risk.
Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. According to the UNFPA, midwives could address about 90% of the immediate needs for maternal, newborn, and adolescent health care. Globally, around 900,000 midwives have been trained to address similar challenges.
The lack of sufficient midwives in Afghanistan has been a longstanding issue, contributing significantly to the high maternal mortality rates. Every hour, a woman dies due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. The UNFPA emphasizes that these deaths could be largely prevented with adequate care from trained midwives.
The collapse of Afghanistan’s medical system and the lack of access to healthcare services have exacerbated this crisis. Without a robust network of skilled midwives and medical facilities, the risk to maternal and infant health remains dangerously high.
Immediate and sustained international support is crucial to address these challenges and improve health outcomes for women and children in Afghanistan.
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