Access to Primary Healthcare in Kabul, Afghanistan

Overview of the Healthcare Crisis

As of late 2025, Afghanistan's healthcare system is on the brink of collapse following severe geopolitical shifts and the withdrawal of international aid. For women, who were already disproportionately affected by cultural and security barriers, the situation has transitioned into a humanitarian emergency characterized by restricted movement, a dwindling female workforce, and the widespread closure of facilities.

The challenges in urban, semi-urban and rural parts vary. While urban areas historically benefited from a higher concentration of resources, they are now characterized by extreme overcrowding in public hospitals. Women often wait in lines for hours and may be discharged within an hour of delivery due to lack of beds. Private clinics, while offering better services, have become unaffordable for the majority of families due to the economic freefall.

In semi-urban settlements (also understood as "transitional" zones), women face a unique blend of urban poverty and rural-style mobility restrictions. Unlike rural areas, where clinics may be non-existent, semi-urban women often live near facilities but cannot access them without a mahram (male chaperone). Public transport costs are a major deterrent, and the shortage of female providers in these areas is acute, as many urban-trained professionals have fled or are barred from practicing.

The women suffer from the critical barriers in accessing health services. Some of these barriers are listed below:

• Mobility & Chaperone Requirements: Taliban policies mandate that women must be accompanied by a male relative to visit health clinics. This often delays life-saving care if a male relative is at work or unavailable.
• Female Provider Shortage: The ban on women's higher education, including medical and midwifery training, has halted the development of the next generation of healthcare workers. Existing female staff face daily harassment regarding their attire and movement, further depleting the workforce.
• Financial Collapse: With approximately 75% of healthcare costs paid out-of-pocket, women often postpone their own medical needs to prioritize food or children’s health.

As already been mentioned in many studies the consequences of dismentaling USAID support to Afghanistan was immense. The dismantling of USAID support and the subsequent "stop work" orders in early 2025 have had a catastrophic impact on the health infrastructure:

• Facility Closures: Following the freeze of over $40 billion in foreign assistance and the termination of USAID-funded programs, over 420 healthcare facilities across Afghanistan were suspended or permanently closed by mid-2025.
• Population Impact: These closures have stripped approximately 3 million peopleof their primary source of medical care, with an estimated 9 million women losing access to essential maternal and reproductive health services.
• Forecasted Crisis: The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that without alternative funding, an additional 1,900 facilities are at risk of shutting down by the end of 2025.

Afghanistan’s healthcare system is facing an unprecedented collapse, with women bearing the heaviest burden as mobility restrictions, the loss of female health workers, and the sudden withdrawal of international aid have pushed access to care into a full-scale humanitarian emergency. Over 420 health facilities have already closed, millions of people have lost their only source of medical services, and nearly 9 million women are now cut off from lifesaving maternal and reproductive care—while thousands more facilities remain at risk of shutting down. In this context, every contribution matters. Your support can help keep essential services running, bring care closer to women who cannot safely travel, and ensure that vulnerable mothers and children are not left without hope or treatment. By donating, you are not only helping to save lives today, but also standing in solidarity with Afghan women and families who urgently need sustained, compassionate healthcare in the face of overwhelming odds.