The leadership of the Taliban has recently ordered the closure of all medical institutes for women and girls, effective from today, Tuesday, December 3.
The announcement was made by the Ministry of Public Health, under the direction of Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Radio Azadi reported that a doctor, attending the meeting, revealed that Bakhtur Rahman Sharafat, Deputy Minister of Health, informed the heads of all medical institutes about the Taliban’s order to delay or halt girls’ education in both private and public institutes.
Many girls, whose education in other fields was restricted over the past three years, had turned to medical studies as an alternative. This new directive will greatly impact those who sought to pursue careers in health-related fields such as nursing, midwifery, and dental studies.
There are 164 private medical institutes across Afghanistan, in addition to the Ghaznfar Institute in Kabul and 10 government-run institutes in the provinces. Many of these institutes employ female teachers.
The new decision prohibits women from enrolling in private medical institutes for courses such as midwifery, dentistry, nursing, and laboratory sciences. This decision has been implemented despite upcoming semester exams for female students in many institutes.
Afghanistan’s clinics and hospitals are already facing a severe shortage of female doctors and nurses. This lack of medical professionals has led many people to seek medical treatment in neighboring Pakistan, where health services are more accessible.
The closure of medical institutes for women comes at a time when Afghanistan’s healthcare system, particularly for women, is already struggling with a severe shortage of medical personnel. With the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighboring countries, the healthcare sector is under even more pressure.
The closure of medical institutes for women is a significant blow to women’s access to education and professional opportunities in Afghanistan, particularly in healthcare.
The international community will likely continue to monitor the situation closely, as the restrictions on women’s education and employment further isolate Afghanistan from the global community, and the long-term effects of these policies remain to be seen.
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