The World Health Organisation has called on Taliban authorities to lift restrictions on Afghan female aid workers following deadly earthquakes that killed 2,200 people and injured more than 3,600 in eastern Afghanistan. WHO officials stressed that women are struggling to access medical care because they cannot travel without male guardians and often hesitate to interact with male doctors during emergencies.
Dr. Mukta Sharma, WHO’s deputy representative in Afghanistan, said the shortage of female medical staff is a growing concern. She explained that nearly 90 percent of health workers in affected areas are men, while only a small fraction are midwives or nurses. This gap has severely limited women’s ability to receive treatment for injuries, trauma, and maternal health needs.
The earthquake struck on September 1, leaving thousands homeless in a country already weakened by aid cuts and economic crises. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, international funding has dropped sharply, pushing many health facilities to closure. In the quake-hit areas, at least 80 health centers have already shut down this year, with 16 more damaged in the disaster.
Aid groups warn that restrictions on female workers undermine relief efforts during one of Afghanistan’s most urgent crises. Taliban authorities introduced rules in 2022 barring most Afghan women from working outside the home, though patchwork exemptions were granted in health and education. However, Sharma said these exemptions are inconsistent and insufficient for emergencies that require female staff to travel freely.
WHO has pressed Taliban leaders to allow more women into healthcare roles, stressing that female doctors and nurses are critical for both emergency treatment and long-term recovery. International agencies fear the lack of female professionals will worsen maternal mortality and mental health challenges, particularly among women who lost male family members in the disaster.
Humanitarian experts also warn that Afghanistan’s future health workforce is shrinking, as female students remain banned from high school and university. Without urgent change, the country risks an even deeper crisis, with women and children bearing the heaviest burden of limited access to healthcare.