Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – A senior United Nations official has warned that Afghanistan is facing a worsening maternal health crisis, with a mother dying every two hours from preventable pregnancy or childbirth complications, as vital health services are halted due to aid cuts.
Andrew Saberton, deputy executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said during a press conference in Kabul that the agency has lost $330 million in funding globally following recent U.S. cuts, with Afghanistan being the hardest hit.
Programs worth $102 million in Afghanistan have been suspended, affecting 6.3 million people—mostly women and children—who now risk losing access to critical reproductive and maternal healthcare services.
“Afghanistan already has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world,” Saberton stated. “The impact of these funding losses will be catastrophic.”
Saberton, who visited the country from May 4 to 9, met with key officials of the Islamic Emirate, including the acting health minister and regional authorities. He raised serious concerns over girls’ education and the long-term effects on healthcare delivery. “If girls stop studying at grade six, there will be no new generation of midwives. That pipeline disappears,” he warned.
Islamic Emirate officials expressed concern over the aid suspension, but Saberton emphasized that Afghanistan remains a UN priority despite financial challenges.
