Jalalabad [ Afghanistan], June 30 (ANI/WAM): The UAE-funded maternity clinics are bringing hope to Afghan families. In Jalalabad, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Shazia Mohammadi cradles her newborn daughter, Fatima, her seventh child, but the first to be born in a medical clinic.

For the first time, Shazia experienced childbirth with access to doctors, medicines, and professional care. Her daughter was also the first baby delivered at one of ten new maternity clinics built by the UAE across Afghanistan, marking the start of a new chapter for maternal health in rural areas.

'Our economic condition was pretty bad all through. Now, thanks to the help we have received, we are much better off. We thank the UAE for this transformation in our lives,' Shazia said.

Her husband, Ramadan Mohammadi, recalled their struggles to access care in the past. 'Six of our children were born at home because we couldn't afford transportation to distant hospitals. This is the first time a clinic has been built near our house, and it has been a blessing for us.'

These UAE-funded clinics have brought much-needed medical care to communities that have long lacked access to even the most basic health services. Located in seven provinces - Nangarhar, Balkh, Herat, Paktia, Paktika, Helmand, and Kandahar - the facilities offer maternity and paediatric care, counselling, contraceptive services, emergency care, medicines and referrals for high-risk cases. They also serve as hubs for community outreach, offering health education, awareness programmes, and life-saving vaccinations, including for COVID-19 and BCG to protect against tuberculosis, to more than 20 people each day.

Dr. Ikramullah, a doctor at one of the clinics, described the change underway, 'Previously, childbirth happened at home, without any medical support, in unsafe, unhygienic conditions. It is changing now, and the people here are so delighted. We not only ensure safe deliveries, but also provide vaccinations, nutritional assistance, and continuous medical care for mothers and newborns.'

He pointed to a young child named Ayesha Qamari as an example of the progress being made, 'The impact of these maternity centres is already being felt. This baby is just one of hundreds of children receiving crucial health checks and vaccinations. This will help bring down the high infant mortality rate in Afghanistan, one of the highest in the world.' According to UNICEF, more than 57 children out of 1,000 in Afghanistan die before reaching the age of five.

Ayesha's mother shared her experience, 'We have come to the clinic three or four times. Earlier, we could not afford the cost of transport to the city hospital. Many times, the sick children would not survive the long journey. We are deeply indebted to the UAE for building this clinic in our vicinity.'

Beyond healthcare, the initiative is also revitalising the local economy. Small businesses - offering services such as transportation and food supply - have emerged around the clinics, and over 100 Afghans have been employed in a range of roles, from medical support to administration.

Mawlawi Ameenullah Sharif, Health Director of Nagarhar Province, noted the broader impact, 'We thank the UAE for their investment in Afghanistan's healthcare. This clinic was urgently needed, and now, the poor have access to essential services, including vaccinations, maternal care, and nutrition support.'

The clinics are all state-of-the-art, equipped with advanced medical equipment, solar power, mobile units, and ambulances, and staffed by dedicated healthcare professionals. They reflect the UAE's commitment to improving the quality of life, empowering women and children, and strengthening local communities in Afghanistan.

Expected to impact the lives of more than 100,000 women in the coming years, these facilities represent a transformative step toward accessible healthcare in some of the country's most underserved areas. (ANI/WAM)