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2024 Saw Significant Challenges in Afghanistan's Health Sector

The year 2024 witnessed substantial changes in Afghanistan's health sector. Key issues included the closure of medical institutions to women, the launch of polio vaccination campaigns, limited access to standard healthcare services, especially in remote areas, and global concerns over maternal mortality and child malnutrition.

The closure of medical training institutions to women was neither officially confirmed nor denied by the Islamic Emirate.

However, female students reported being given a ten-day period to complete their exams.

Haida, a midwifery student, spoke to TOLOnews on December 4 about the closure of medical institutes to women, stating: "When we came to the institute the next day, the director told us not to come anymore, as the institutes were closed. Later, they gave us a ten-day period to take our exams."

This decision sparked both domestic and international reactions.

Organizations such as UNAMA, Amnesty International, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Médecins Sans Frontières, foreign ministers of France and Germany, former President Hamid Karzai, the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, UNICEF, and others called for a reconsideration of this policy.

Despite a warning by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on August 22 that Afghanistan urgently needs 18,000 skilled midwives, the Deputy Minister for Policy and Development of the Ministry of Public Health denied a shortage of female health workers in the country.

"We have more than 30,000 midwives who are not currently part of the system and are waiting for employment opportunities to be created for them,” said Mohammad Hassan Ghiasi, Deputy Minister of Planning and Health Development at the Ministry of Public Health, on December 25.

The launch of polio vaccination campaigns was another major health event of the year.

The Ministry of Public Health conducted at least ten campaigns in 2024, though the methodology for three of these campaigns deviated from previous years, as they were not conducted door-to-door.

The ministry did not confirm any positive cases of polio in 2024, but the World Health Organization (WHO) reported more than 20 positive cases in Afghanistan during the year.

"This year, we do not have any confirmed cases, but there are suspected cases,” said Sharafat Zaman Amarkhel, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, on December 24.

Achievements in the health sector included the establishment of Afghanistan’s first polio laboratory in collaboration with aid organizations and the export of serum worth $580,000 from Afghanistan to Iraq.

Challenges such as insufficient healthcare facilities, malnutrition, and most critically, maternal and infant mortality remain areas of concern for global organizations. UNFPA described Afghanistan as one of the most challenging places in the world for women to give birth, reporting that every two hours, a mother dies due to preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related causes.

The WHO also reported that 24 mothers and 167 newborns die daily from preventable causes in Afghanistan, though the Ministry of Public Health rejected these claims.

"About 67% of the population currently has access, which means that about 33% of the population does not have access to the health services,” said Edwin Ceniza Salvador, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Representative in Afghanistan.

In a recent development, Noor Jalal Jalali, acting minister of public health, announced the approval of a budget for the construction of 318 district-level hospitals by the leader of the Islamic Emirate.

"A special budget has been approved by the Amir al-Mu'minin of Afghanistan for the construction of general hospitals in 318 districts. The preliminary legal procedures have been completed, and the construction work has practically begun,” said the acting minister.

It remains to be seen whether Afghanistan's healthcare needs will be met in the coming year and if the sector will witness progress.

2024 Saw Significant Challenges in Afghanistan's Health Sector

The closure of medical training institutions to women was neither officially confirmed nor denied by the Islamic Emirate.

تصویر بندانگشتی

The year 2024 witnessed substantial changes in Afghanistan's health sector. Key issues included the closure of medical institutions to women, the launch of polio vaccination campaigns, limited access to standard healthcare services, especially in remote areas, and global concerns over maternal mortality and child malnutrition.

The closure of medical training institutions to women was neither officially confirmed nor denied by the Islamic Emirate.

However, female students reported being given a ten-day period to complete their exams.

Haida, a midwifery student, spoke to TOLOnews on December 4 about the closure of medical institutes to women, stating: "When we came to the institute the next day, the director told us not to come anymore, as the institutes were closed. Later, they gave us a ten-day period to take our exams."

This decision sparked both domestic and international reactions.

Organizations such as UNAMA, Amnesty International, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Médecins Sans Frontières, foreign ministers of France and Germany, former President Hamid Karzai, the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, UNICEF, and others called for a reconsideration of this policy.

Despite a warning by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on August 22 that Afghanistan urgently needs 18,000 skilled midwives, the Deputy Minister for Policy and Development of the Ministry of Public Health denied a shortage of female health workers in the country.

"We have more than 30,000 midwives who are not currently part of the system and are waiting for employment opportunities to be created for them,” said Mohammad Hassan Ghiasi, Deputy Minister of Planning and Health Development at the Ministry of Public Health, on December 25.

The launch of polio vaccination campaigns was another major health event of the year.

The Ministry of Public Health conducted at least ten campaigns in 2024, though the methodology for three of these campaigns deviated from previous years, as they were not conducted door-to-door.

The ministry did not confirm any positive cases of polio in 2024, but the World Health Organization (WHO) reported more than 20 positive cases in Afghanistan during the year.

"This year, we do not have any confirmed cases, but there are suspected cases,” said Sharafat Zaman Amarkhel, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, on December 24.

Achievements in the health sector included the establishment of Afghanistan’s first polio laboratory in collaboration with aid organizations and the export of serum worth $580,000 from Afghanistan to Iraq.

Challenges such as insufficient healthcare facilities, malnutrition, and most critically, maternal and infant mortality remain areas of concern for global organizations. UNFPA described Afghanistan as one of the most challenging places in the world for women to give birth, reporting that every two hours, a mother dies due to preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related causes.

The WHO also reported that 24 mothers and 167 newborns die daily from preventable causes in Afghanistan, though the Ministry of Public Health rejected these claims.

"About 67% of the population currently has access, which means that about 33% of the population does not have access to the health services,” said Edwin Ceniza Salvador, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Representative in Afghanistan.

In a recent development, Noor Jalal Jalali, acting minister of public health, announced the approval of a budget for the construction of 318 district-level hospitals by the leader of the Islamic Emirate.

"A special budget has been approved by the Amir al-Mu'minin of Afghanistan for the construction of general hospitals in 318 districts. The preliminary legal procedures have been completed, and the construction work has practically begun,” said the acting minister.

It remains to be seen whether Afghanistan's healthcare needs will be met in the coming year and if the sector will witness progress.

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