Tragedy in Afghanistan: A Man Loses His Wife and Baby Due to Clinic Closure

When Shahnaz went into labour, her husband Abdul called a taxi to take them to the only medical facility accessible to them. She was in a lot of pain, he recalls.

The 20-minute drive to the clinic in Shesh Pol, Badakhshan province, led to a heartbreaking realization—upon arrival, they discovered the clinic was closed. Abdul's face crumpled with agony as he learned it had shut down without his knowledge.

This shutdown is part of a grim reality; over 400 medical facilities have closed across Afghanistan following significant U.S. aid cuts after the Trump administration dismantled USAID operations. The Shesh Pol clinic had previously been a lifeline, assisting in 25 to 30 deliveries each month.

Maternal mortality has historically plagued Afghanistan, and the closure of the clinic exacerbated this issue. With no nearby medical help, Abdul and Shahnaz were forced to turn back home, leading to Shahnaz delivering their baby girl alone in their car by the roadside. Tragically, both mother and child died due to heavy bleeding shortly after birth.

Many families, like Abdul's, confront this harrowing reality daily. With the U.S. previously contributing a staggering 43% of all aid in the country, the abrupt funding withdrawal has urged women into dangerous home births and led to a surge in deaths.

Abdul expressed regret, stating that My wife and child could've been saved if the clinic was open. Shahnaz and her baby represent just two among countless victims of this policy, with their deaths unrecorded, reflecting an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

As clinics close, the burden shifts to overstretched hospitals, where high maternal mortality rates threaten to increase. Health professionals report overcrowded conditions, with many women losing their lives in transit to already overwhelmed facilities.

Furthermore, the Taliban's restrictions on women's health education have worsened the staff shortages drastically, threatening the lives of many who cannot access necessary medical services.

Despite government statements denying that aid cuts have led to deaths, many families, including Abdul's, believe otherwise, citing personal tragedies and grief that could have been avoided.

While the international community debates the approach to aid in Afghanistan, the urgent need for accessible healthcare becomes increasingly evident, as devastating stories of loss continue to emerge from rural villages.