Community Elders Meeting with Health Officials
A health center in the Nurgal District of Kunar Province (about 200 km east of Kabul) neither had a midwife nor a female doctor to provide services for women and children. Their absence was especially difficult when patients visited the health center for assistance in childbirth. Since the area is also under the control of the armed groups, access to and attention of the government officials is very limited to this health facility at the center of Nurgal District—40 from the center of Kunar province.
Mr. Haji Gul Nabi, a resident of the district told Mr. Rohullah, a community volunteer, that one of his family members visited the health center at mid-night for childbirth assistance. He continued, “When we were there, we found out that there is no female doctor or midwife and this made the situation even more difficult for us.”
Rohullah shared the issue with the health shura (council) of the health center. The members of the council stated that they had also raised the issue with officials over the previous year but no action was taken to address the issue. Rohullah then shared the issue with Integrity Watch’s local partner organization staff and it was added to the agenda of the monthly meeting of the Sectorial Monitoring Group of Kunar province. The officials took action, announced the positions and the recruitment has now been completed. Both a midwife and a female doctor are now working at the health center since beginning of 2021.
Mr. Ashna, a resident of the district, stated, “I believe this regular community monitoring and advocating for the issues in the relevant meetings of the health officials is very effective and we are happy to see that a female doctor and a midwife are now working at the health center.”
