Interviews conducted by Salam Watandar with 15 women who recently went through pregnancy show that limited access to healthcare has left many of them suffering from severe physical weakness and malnutrition — both during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Several of the women said they visited a doctor two or three times during their pregnancies; however, financial hardship prevented them from purchasing the prescribed medicines. Some also said they had no access to nutritious food during that period.
Adela, a 35-year-old resident of Kabul who has had consecutive pregnancies, said she did not visit a doctor during her most recent pregnancy, which caused her anemia to worsen.
“My anemia became very severe; I had no strength to move. I received blood once or twice. It is because of poverty that I cannot go to the doctor. There were even days when we could not find bread to eat, and I spent the day drinking only water,” she said.
Hasiba, a 20-year-old mother of two children from Parwan, said her husband’s limited income makes it difficult to meet even their basic needs. “My husband earns 7,000 Afghanis a month — how can we afford proper food?” she asked.
During her nine months of pregnancy, she visited a doctor twice but said she was able to buy only half of the prescribed medicine.
Although some clinics in Kabul and other provinces offer free healthcare services to pregnant women, the interviewees said they were unaware of these facilities and the services available to them.
Maryam, 36-year-old and resident of Kabul, said this is her sixth pregnancy and that her husband is unemployed. “If we can afford the medicines the doctor prescribes, we buy them; if not, we don’t,” she said, adding that she is not aware of any clinics that provide medicine or check-ups for pregnant women.
Masooda, a 40-year-old mother in Faryab, said she would have gone to a clinic if she had known its location and what medicines were available there.
She said, “We cannot obtain any medicine,” and she added, “Both my child and I are weak.”
Seven of the interviewed women reported experiencing anemia, hair loss, weight loss, and severe fatigue during pregnancy.
Aziza, 35-year-old and resident of Kapisa, said she suffered from anemia, headaches, and leg pain during her pregnancy, adding that her children were also weak.
“Now I am not well myself, and my child is weak too. I could not afford to buy the vitamins or medicines the doctors recommended,” she said.
Nafisa, 28-year-old, from Deh Sabz district of Kabul, said that her lack of access to nutritious food during pregnancy has left her struggling with ongoing weakness. She explained that even after walking just a few steps, her heart begins to tremble. Although a doctor prescribed medication, she said she cannot afford to purchase it.
Meanwhile, several obstetricians and gynecologists emphasized that access to medicine and nutritious food during pregnancy is essential. They warned that depriving women of adequate healthcare and proper nutrition places both mothers and their unborn children at serious risk.
Liza Shamriz, an obstetrician-gynecologist, explained that a healthy diet — including sufficient protein, vitamins, and minerals — is vital for the wellbeing of both mother and baby. She noted that without adequate food and medication, pregnant women may suffer from severe weight loss, weakness, hair loss, and decreased levels of protein, iron, and other essential minerals. In such situations, she added, proper nutrition, small food packages, and supplements such as folic acid and calcium tablets can be highly beneficial.
Experts identify inadequate maternal nutrition, consecutive pregnancies, early marriage, limited medical facilities, and lack of access to standard healthcare services as some of the main factors contributing to maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan.
Despite these concerns, Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate, said that awareness programs for pregnant women will be launched. He stated that folic acid and other nutritional supplements have been distributed regularly as part of various campaigns. However, he acknowledged that procurement issues and other challenges sometimes prevent medicines from reaching certain hospitals.
According to statistics from UN Women and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 600 mothers die for every 100,000 births in Afghanistan — a figure that is three times higher than the global average.
Reporter: Soodaba Haidari
