Pio Smith, the Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has warned that the halt in U.S. financial aid to Afghanistan could result in a surge of deaths and heightened vulnerability for millions, with Afghan women and newborns bearing the brunt of the crisis.
In an interview with Reuters, he expressed concern that if this situation continues from 2025 to 2028, it could result in the deaths of 1,200 mothers.
“When our projects are not funded, women are forced to give birth alone, under unsanitary conditions. Babies die from preventable causes,” he explained.
The UN official also emphasized that due to the suspension of US aid and the closure of medical centers, more than nine million people in Afghanistan, as well as over 1.2 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, will lose access to essential health services.
Many women in several provinces of Afghanistan have already reported a lack or complete absence of medical services in their areas, leading to the deaths of pregnant women and their newborns.
Soraya, a resident of Ghoryan district in Herat, shared, “Doctors used to examine and prescribe medicine, but now there is no medicine. Women give birth at home, and sometimes this leads to the death of both mother and child.”
Zainab, a resident of Jaghatu district in Ghazni, added that the lack of timely medical services poses a significant threat to their lives. “There is no clinic near us; it’s very far, and there is no medicine at the clinic. Patients are given medication without being properly examined.”
On Monday, the UNFPA reported that Afghan women are at risk due to the lack of access to safe and effective healthcare services in their regions.
