Afghanistan has suffered chronic instability and conflict throughout its modern history. Its fledgling democratic government faces the challenges of extending its authority beyond the capital and forging national unity. Much of the health infrastructure has been destroyed, and many people in remote villages have little or no access to health care.
Reproductive health care in Afghanistan is particularly inadequate, resulting in some of the highest maternal and child mortality rates in the world. Currently, only 14 per cent of deliveries are attended by a trained midwife. In isolated rural areas, women face a one in three lifetime risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth.
HOW MERLIN IS HELPING:
Working in partnership with local NGO Care of Afghan Families (CAF) and through the Ministry of Health, Merlin is providing essential health care for vulnerable people in some of the country’s most remote and hard to reach areas.
To tackle Afghanistan’s appalling maternal and neonatal mortality rates, we’re also training midwives in Takhar and Kunduz provinces, as well as supporting emergency obstetric care facilities in Badakhshan.
And we’re participating in a malaria research programme, coordinated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Delivering basic health care
We are helping 1.1 million people in Kunduz and Badakshan
Our range of services include includes maternal and newborn health, child health and immunisation, public nutrition, disease treatment and control, regular supply of essential drugs, disability and mental health.
Training community midwives
By mid 2010, we will have trained 132 midwives, benefitting over 600,000 people
Since 2004, our Community Midwife Education (CME) programme in Takhar and Kunduz provinces has supported the training of 86 midwives who are now practicing with regular supervision in health facilities, bringing essential maternal and newborn health care to 84,000 women in rural villages. Currently, 46 students are undergoing their 18-month training course, which involves classroom-based learning, laboratory-based skills practice and supervised practical experience in clinical facilities.
Providing medical services to remote areas
We are reaching at least 480,000 people this year through mobile clinics
From vaccination campaigns to midwife education, Merlin reaches isolated villagers who would otherwise have no access to health care, particularly during harsh Afghan winters when roads and mountains are impassable.
Emergency obstetric care
We are benefitting 99,200 people
In Kishim and Shahr-e-Bazarg districts of Badakhshan, Merlin has established a fully functional emergency obstetric care facility with an ambulance-based referral network for four basic health centres.
Key achievements
• On International Women’s Day last year five teams of all-female staff, including midwives, nurses and vaccinators from seven health clinics visited 18 villages. These teams provided reproductive health services to 1,700 women for seven days and assisted with four unexpected home-deliveries and referred eight complicated cases
• In 2008 and 2009, 40,000 children under two were vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and hepatitis B, and at least 20,000 women were immunised against tetanus
Donors supporting Merlin's work
EU, JHPIEGO, GAVI, UNFPA, Gates Foundation and numerous private donors
Read more about Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Saving mothers in the remotest areas
2 Feb 10: To survive in the remote areas of Afghanistan is hard. To survive childbirth here is even harder.
Saving mothers' lives
24 Jan 07: Fauzia is among the first 21 women who have completed Merlin’s midwifery training programme in Takhar Province, northern Afghanistan. She now works at the hospital in her home town of Farkhar.
Basic knowledge saves lives in Afghanistan
1 Dec 05: Fatima Abdul Qaum, 38, is among more than 250 people who have been trained by Merlin as community health workers.
Reducing maternal mortality in Afghanistan
20 Jun 05: Fatima Yormamad is one of 22 young women currently being trained to become community midwives in Takhar province.
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