The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has expressed concern over the rising maternal mortality rate in Afghanistan, saying the country has the highest maternal mortality rate in Asia.
The fund said on Monday, March 7, that 638 out of every 1,000 mothers in Afghanistan die during childbirth. The United Nations has warned that unless serious attention is paid to this issue, the country’s maternal mortality rate will rise further. Maternal mortality rates have dropped dramatically in recent years. In 1398, 396 mothers out of 100,000 births reportedly lost their lives.
The head of the United Nations Population Fund for Afghanistan, Alexander Sasha, has said that women and girls have been hit hardest by the unprecedented escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Mr. Sasha added that every two hours, an Afghan woman loses her life due to complications during childbirth, and without timely action, the rate would rise.
The representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for Afghanistan also said that their research was good because of the increase in sexual violence in Afghanistan since August 2021.
The report also said that due to the lack of access to health services in Kandahar province and lack of health facilities in the province, abortions have been forced.
