KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A mother dies every two hours in Afghanistan from preventable pregnancy or childbirth complications, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has warned, as severe funding cuts push the country’s already fragile health system toward collapse.
Andrew Saberton, UNFPA’s Deputy Executive Director, said that more than $100 million worth of maternal and reproductive health programs in Afghanistan have been suspended due to a major shortfall following U.S. funding cuts. Of the $330 million global funding gap now facing the UN agency., Afghanistan has been hit the hardest.
“Afghanistan already suffers from one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world,” Saberton said. “Without urgent action, the situation will only worsen. These are not just numbers—they represent lives lost, and lives less lived.”
UNFPA has been a lifeline for maternal health in rural areas of Afghanistan, where access to doctors and hospitals is scarce. The suspension of services has left health workers and rights advocates fearing a steep rise in maternal deaths.
In provinces like Bamyan, where women often walk for hours across mountainous terrain to reach remote clinics, the impact is already visible. During a recent visit, Saberton saw teenage girls receiving reproductive health education and menstrual kits, and pregnant women seeking care from overworked staff.
UNFPA previously supported around 900 health clinics across Afghanistan. With current funding, only 400 can remain operational, leaving an estimated 6.9 million women and children without access to essential care. Mobile health teams and psychosocial services have also been halted.
Despite the crisis, UNFPA says it will continue its work in Afghanistan, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
“UNFPA will stay and continue delivering,” Saberton emphasized. “But we cannot sustain our response without urgent international support. Lives are at stake. We must act now to protect the dignity, health, and future of Afghan women and newborns.”
