Najia*, a 30-year-old mother, was 28 weeks pregnant when she arrived at the Cheshma-e-Mahyan Basic Health Clinic in Takhar Province in a state of panic. "I suffered from bleeding, headaches, abdominal pain, and swollen feet," she explained. Sakina*, a dedicated midwife at the clinic, conducted a comprehensive health assessment and diagnosed Najia with preeclampsia. Recognizing the urgency, she promptly prescribed the necessary medication to prevent the condition from worsening.
Women in Afghanistan, particularly in rural and remote areas, often face inadequate and substandard healthcare services. This is especially true for pregnant women with severe conditions who are referred to local healthcare facilities that lack the capacity to provide the necessary care. To bridge this gap, the USAID AFIAT activity has trained and mentored thousands of health workers and midwives like Sakina, equipping them with the skills needed to provide timely and quality care.
Najia had a history of high blood pressure and had previously lost a child to preeclampsia. Sakina, with expertise gained through her AFIAT mentorship, confidently responded to Najia’s critical situation. "I had limited knowledge about pregnancy disorders before the training. Thanks to the hands-on sessions provided by the AFIAT, I can now offer timely assistance that could be lifesaving for both mother and her baby," Sakina explains.
Before receiving the training and mentorship, handling such critical cases would have been impossible for Sakina. However, she now feels confident in her ability to assess a pregnant woman's health and identify danger signs. In 2023 alone, the AFIAT project successfully mentored and trained 730 midwives across 353 health facilities in 14 provinces of Afghanistan enabling them to provide better care to mothers and their babies.
* Names changed for privacy.