UN agency creating new emergency healthcare for women in Herat

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently announced the establishment of dedicated emergency sections for pregnant women in Herat, western Afghanistan.

On Friday, February 16th, the organization revealed on its social media platform X that it is setting up a separate emergency healthcare service section to provide support for pregnant women in Herat.

According to the organization, many hospitals in Herat were damaged during the deadly earthquake on October 11 last year, and there is currently no suitable place for the safety and support of pregnant women in the province’s hospitals.

The organization also stated that it will supply the necessary equipment for natural childbirth and cesarean sections.

This announcement follows the recent statement by the United Nations Population Fund indicating that over 90 percent of the victims of the Herat earthquake were women and children. The organization’s report also highlighted that nearly 7,500 pregnant women and 38,000 girls have been affected by the recent earthquake in Herat.

Prior to this, human rights observers had raised concerns about the dire health situation for women throughout Afghanistan. The powerful earthquake on October 11 last year resulted in the loss of 2,400 lives and extensive damage to several villages in Herat.