How many women are affected by the ban on medical training institutes?

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Approximately 35,000 women are impacted by the ban on medical training.

A ban on women studying midwifery and nursing at training institutes across Afghanistan will affect approximately 35,000 women. This restriction specifically targets women enrolled in medical training centres, which is expected to have significant repercussions on the country's already strained healthcare system and maternal health outcomes.
Impact on Maternal Mortality Rates

Doctor Najmussama Shefajo predicts a rise in maternal mortality rates within three to four years due to the ban. With fewer trained female healthcare professionals, more women may be forced to give birth at home, increasing the risks associated with complications and necessary medical procedures. Afghanistan already faces one of the world's highest rates of deaths in childbirth.
Shortage of Trained Healthcare Workers

The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, has highlighted Afghanistan's existing "desperate shortage of trained healthcare workers, especially women." The restriction on medical education exacerbates this deficit, as training institutes were a key source for equipping women with essential healthcare skills such as midwifery, nursing, laboratory work, pharmacy, and dentistry.
Broader Consequences for Healthcare System

The International Committee of the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have expressed concern over the ban's effects on Afghanistan's fragile healthcare system. MSF, which operates busy maternity hospitals in the country, noted the nation's "huge medical needs" and stated that "there is no healthcare system without educated female health practitioners." This situation is particularly critical given Afghanistan's high fertility rates and a population where almost half are under 15 years old.

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How many women are affected by the ban on medical training institutes?

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