UN: Afghanistan Faces Highest Maternal Mortality Rate Worldwide
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced that Afghanistan currently has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. To reduce this crisis, support for healthcare workers and the expansion of essential health services are urgently needed.
On Wednesday, June 17, OCHA wrote on its official X (formerly Twitter) account that while women and girls face serious barriers to accessing healthcare, healthcare workers remain on the front lines, providing life-saving services for mothers and newborns.
The agency emphasized that strengthening and supporting healthcare workers is a fundamental prerequisite for developing maternal and newborn health services throughout the country. Many provinces and remote areas are grappling with shortages of facilities and skilled personnel.
Health experts say that widespread restrictions on education, employment, and movement for women since the Taliban’s return to power have further complicated their access to healthcare. Continuing this situation could exacerbate the maternal mortality crisis, highlighting the urgent need for practical action to remove barriers and ensure equal healthcare access for women.
