Afghanistan's health system under the Taliban: key challenges, The Lancet/Gianni Murzi

The Lancet has an interesting comment about the status of the health system in Afghanistan. The comment is accessible to all free of charge. The authors Najibullah Safi, Palwasha Anwari and Helah Safim state that the political transition in mid-August, 2021 and the temporary pausing of funding to the health system from the World Bank and other donors have jeopardised the gains made in the past two decades.They add that access to primary health care, particularly for women and children, remains a major concern in Afghanistan. Restriction on women's movements without Mahram (unmarriageable male kin or husband) has reduced access of women and children to health-care services. However, with the financing of some health services and reduced active conflict in the country, there are signs that women are accessing some services.

Improvement of public health, the authors continue, requires a multisectoral approach. Besides other sectors, education, particularly for girls, is crucial to ensure the training of an adequate number of doctors, nurses, and other health-care providers, develop knowledge about health promotion, and contribute to the country's economy. Before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan's health system was already constrained by a shortage of female health-care providers, affecting the provision of life-saving services, particularly for women and children. Under the Taliban, girls are not able to attend secondary education. The authors continue their comment by reporting a UNICEF estimate that depriving girls of education “translates to a loss of at least US$500 million for Afghan economy in last 12 months” and that if the current cohort of 3 million girls were to complete their secondary education, $5·4 billion could be added to Afghanistan's economy. Prohibiting education for girls and women will eventually have considerable direct and indirect impacts on the health of Afghans.