Essential healthcare in Afghanistan: Medair clinics are a source of hope for vulnerable women

Every morning, Medair medical staff welcome a surge of women and children seeking care at our health facilities in Afghanistan. The agony caused by malnutrition and illness is apparent in faces of the patients, as the country confronts overlapping crises: deep-rooted poverty, remnants of conflicts, climate change, and the forced repatriation of thousands of Afghans from Iran and Pakistan.

"It has been a while since we returned from Pakistan. Today, my niece and I came to this clinic in the hope of receiving assistance.

There are six of us in the family. My husband has passed away, and my two teenage sons are the breadwinners of the family. One of them polishes shoes in downtown, earning 50-100 AFA [equivalent to 0.7-1.5 USD] once in a while. This money cannot fulfil the needs of my family. I cannot remember the last time we got new clothes for ourselves. Yet, with all the challenges I face, I feel happy when my children come together," Rana said.

Rana is a mother from Southern Afghanistan. Her family left Afghanistan in hope of a better life, but they were forcefully repatriated from Pakistan. Rana's health conditions are fragile, as are her finances. Living with anaemia and respiratory issues, she was unable to afford private medical care.  Seeking relief, she came to a Medair health facility, where she was treated by female doctors. Medair clinics are a source of hope and dignity for women like Rana living in Southern Afghanistan.

Rana’s niece, Shahla, also visited a Medair clinic in her eighth month of pregnancy. Shahla is receiving antenatal care, and during her recent visit, she was given a delivery kit to help her prepare for a safe birth.

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Every day at the Medair health facilities, female medical professionals provide essential healthcare to hundreds of vulnerable women like Shahla and Rana. Farzana, a Medair staff member said, “When we began offering our services in this area, the news spread rapidly. By the next day, patients were already arriving. There is a significant demand for our services; many people in the community are unable to afford paid options, while we provide our services free of charge. I’ve noticed that children are often very quiet during their first and second visits, but after a few weeks of treatment, they start to play and smile. On behalf of these women and children, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributes to making this possible.”  

It has now been three decades since Medair first became active in Afghanistan. Since 1996, Medair has been bringing relief to people living in some of the most remote and difficult-to-reach areas in the country – actively working to ensure that vulnerable communities have access to healthcare, nutrition support, safe water, and sanitation items. With support from its generous donors, Medair provides crucial services reaching vulnerable communities across remote districts in two provinces in the south of Afghanistan.

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Pseudonyms have been used for the people mentioned in the article to protect their identities.

This content was produced with resources gathered by Medair field and headquarters staff. The views expressed herein are those solely of Medair and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any other organization.

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