More than 1,300 applicants, most of them women, attended an exam on Monday to find their way for working at Herat Regional Hospital.

Officials said that 44 of the applicants will be selected to work in the hospital.

Women who participated in the exam asked the government to provide employment opportunities for women in the country.

"At least 1,320 applicants were shortlisted and 55 percent of them are women and 45 percent of them are men," said Mohammad Asif Kabir, the deputy head of the public health directorate in Herat.

Among the participants, 44 of them will be selected from the Nursing and midwifery department of the hospital.

"I hope the process will be transparent and will provide jobs for everyone so we can work," said Laili Poya, a participant.

"I hope that everyone who deserves will pass the exam," said Samira Ehrari, a participant.

The lack of nurses and doctors are a serious issue in the hospital.

"The hospital services are provided by our professors. The also hospital serves as a platform for medical interns to get their licenses as a physician. Moreover, we have many patients," said Jalil Ahmad Rasuli, head of the Herat Regional Hospital.

This comes as a big number of doctors have left the country over the past 16 months while Afghanistan was already faced with a lack of health workers, especially in remote areas.