Support Life-Saving efforts for Mothers & Newborns

Since the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces in August 2021 and return to power of the Taliban, Afghanistan has witnessed a reduction of international financial support, a rapid decline in its economy, restrictions on women’s movement and employment and the interruption of essential services, including primary health care. The crisis is currently reversing many of the gains of the last 20 years, especially towards women. This impacted the health services in terms of closure of health clinics, shortage of medicine and medical equipment, and a limited access to qualified healthcare workers. In addition, high food prices and prolonged drought have resulted in an increase in food insecurity and malnutrition and outbreaks of life-threatening diseases (polio, measles, malaria, dengue, cholera and COVID-19) continue, severely weakening an already fragile health system.

On the 4th of March 2023, the Acting Minister of Public Health issued a letter to WHO and partners asking that all Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams cease functioning within one month and establish fixed health sites in the White Areas that are beyond reach of health services. While this does not concern directly the services provided by AfD, this new regulation is concerning to a larger extent and a Task Force has been formed to develop a plan and identify sustainable strategies and alternate options for health service delivery in these underserved areas.

The CHC which is run by AfD in Kabul continues to provide essential health services, despite the ongoing challenges. The Center provided 12’620 health services to vulnerable populations in the first quarter of 2023. The services provided by the CHC are based on the basic package of health services (BPHS). Around 41% of the services provided are vaccines, followed by outpatient department consultations (OPD) 21%.

A total of 401 family planning services were administered during the first quarter of 2023. The CHC received 88 women, who benefited from antenatal and postnatal care services during the period. More than half of the visits or consultations (49) were attributed to the first antenatal care visit, 15 for other antenatal visits, 15 for the first postnatal visits and only 9 for further postnatal visits.

Despite the challenges with the current ultrasound machine we have had received and examined 1'408 women in the first quarter of 2023, by ultrasounds service at the CHC. Pregnant women are being checked for the health, development and growth of the fetus and for complications related to pregnancy, and other women are evaluated for any issues such as gallstones. Unfortunately we have not yet been able to collect enough funds to purchase new machines for the health facility.

We thank our donors for their support and trust in AfD services and hope that soon we will be able to collect enough funds to provide better services to our patients, who are mainly women.