GHAZNI CITY (SW) – A number of Ghazni residents say that the lack of female health workers and doctors in the province has limited women’s access to health services.
Nahida, a visitor to the “Shams al-Arifin” clinic near Eidgah Mosque in Ghazni, told Salam Watandar that due to the lack of the female doctors in this clinic, women cannot access the health services they need. She added: “Many clinics and hospitals operate in Ghazni, but because most of the hospital employees are men, women cannot go to these hospitals easily and boldly when they face a problem.”
Dawood, a resident of the Eidgah Mosque area, said that in addition to the lack of female doctors, the lack of medical facilities is another serious problem in clinics and other medical centers in Ghazni. He wants the officials of the Ministry of Public Health to take care of these problems. “Several times, I visited this clinic, the facilities of the clinic are very poor. When you visit, they don’t give you medicine. We are forced to buy the medicine from the market.”
A number of civil activists in Ghazni say that the lack of female health workers and doctors in a number of medical centers in this province has limited women’s access to medical services, especially during childbirth, and has led them to traditional medicine. Ali Samadi, a civil activist, said: “The lack of female doctors in hospitals, clinics and maternity hospitals is one of the most serious problems in Ghazni city and its suburbs.”
Officials at the Public Health Department of Ghazni say that the Shams-al-Arafin Clinic is not under the supervision of this department, rather, it operates in this province under the supervision of the Afghan Red Crescent Society in Ghazni.
Shahab Sarwari, director of publications and public relations of the directorate of the Afghan Red Crescent Society in Ghazni, rejecting the lack of female health workers and doctors in the Shams-ul-Arafin Clinic, told Salam Watandar that 11 clinics, including this clinic, are operating in this province under the supervision of this Directorate. According to him, in most of these clinics, male and female employees provide medical services. “Local people who complain about the lack of female employees, this is completely false. There are both female and male doctors in this clinic.”
Director of publications and public relations of the Red Crescent Society of Ghazni, added that in Shams-ul-Arafin Clinic, treatment of internal diseases, diseases of children, application of anti-polio and corona vaccines and treatment of malnourished children are carried out every day by male and female health experts.
It should be mentioned that Shams-al-Arafin clinic is a “CHC” clinic, whose activity is not specific to women and children, but provides services to all patients in various departments.
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