"Unfettering Female Physicians: WHO Presses Taliban to Lift Barriers as Women Grapple with Healthcare Shortages After Devastating Earthquake"

In the aftermath of the devastating magnitude 6 earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on September 1, killing at least 2,200 people and injuring over 3,600, women in the affected areas are struggling to access essential medical care.

The predominance of male health staff in the affected regions is causing discomfort and hindering many women from seeking treatment. This issue, as stated by Dr Mukta Sharma, deputy representative of WHO's Afghanistan office, continues without a formal exemption from the de facto authorities.

Aid agencies have expressed concern that these exemptions, when granted, are often inadequate, especially during emergencies that require the presence of female staff to travel. The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged Taliban authorities to lift restrictions on Afghan female aid workers to ensure the delivery of necessary medical services.

However, the Taliban administration has yet to respond to WHO's request. The limited number of female health workers, mostly nurses and midwives, are not equipped to handle complex medical cases, further exacerbating the situation.

The health system in Afghanistan is already strained due to foreign aid cuts and earthquake damage, forcing the closure of dozens of health facilities. This has left approximately 11,600 pregnant women affected by the earthquake in a country with high maternal mortality rates in a precarious situation.

Local residents have reported cases of women in quake-hit villages experiencing trauma, high blood pressure, and difficulties in reaching medical facilities, with only male doctors available. Thousands of people have been left homeless due to the earthquake, adding to the strain on already scarce resources.

Dr Mukta Sharma has warned of future risks to mental health support and maternal care due to the restrictions on female NGO staff. The Taliban authorities have banned female NGO staff from working outside their homes in 2022, but exemptions exist in health and education.

The search results do not provide information on which Afghan organizations have received exemption permits from the Taliban authorities for their female employees to work outside their households during the humanitarian emergency after the earthquake in Afghanistan.

In conclusion, the earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has left many women without access to essential medical care, a situation that is further complicated by the predominance of male health staff, the limited number of female health workers, and the restrictions on female NGO staff. The WHO's call for the Taliban authorities to lift these restrictions is a crucial step towards ensuring the delivery of necessary medical services to all those affected by the earthquake.

"Unfettering Female Physicians: WHO Presses Taliban to Lift Barriers as Women Grapple with Healthcare Shortages After Devastating Earthquake"