Afghanistan is facing a worsening maternal care crisis, intensified by recent funding cuts to the UN’s reproductive health agency, UNFPA. In Bamyan Province, women walk for hours to access maternal care at remote clinics, some heavily pregnant or carrying newborns. The U.S. has slashed $102 million in funding to UNFPA’s Afghanistan operations, part of a broader $330 million global cut, jeopardizing essential services in a country with one of the highest maternal mortality rates worldwide. These funds were critical for mobile health units, family planning services, and psychosocial support. Now, only 400 of the 900 UNFPA-supported clinics can remain operational, potentially leaving 6.9 million women and children without access to life-saving care. Despite limited resources, UNFPA vows to continue operations but urgently appeals for international assistance to sustain healthcare access and protect the dignity and lives of Afghan women and their newborns.
Pray for unhindered aid for all the women and children in need in Afghanistan. Pray for them to have easy access to health care, food, and other basic needs (The Holy Bible, Genesis 22:14).
Pray for the authorities to take immediate action to curb the maternal mortality rates in Afghanistan. Pray for improved maternal care services in the country (The Holy Bible, Psalm 139:16).
News Source: UN News
Image Source: Canva
