13 November 2023

Edima, a young pregnant woman in the rural village of Nayeb Rafi in Afghanistan, dreamed of the day she would bring her first child into the world. Instead, she found herself fleeing for her life as her house crumbled around her.

Three earthquakes struck the western region of Afghanistan over the course of a week in early October, creating chaos, destruction and despair. Nearly ninety per cent of the people killed were women and children, as they were home while the men were away at work. This, at a time when the country was already facing a humanitarian crisis, with political instability, economic decline and three years of drought driving unprecedented levels of hunger.

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Tents replace homes in Nayeb Rafi.

As Edimaโ€™s home collapsed to the ground, neighbours rushed to help her, hastily summoning an ambulance. When she arrived at a maternity hospital in Herat, she was so traumatized, she could barely speak, her doctor recalls. Edima had lost her entire immediate family, five members in all. 

More tragedy was to follow. โ€œWe examined her, and the news was devastating,โ€ says her physician, Dr. Nasrin. โ€œHer unborn child had not survived.โ€ 
 

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Graves line a village road.
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Dr. Nasrin saves lives at the maternity hospital in Herat.

Thanks to the care she received at the maternity hospital, Edima survived, but she needed psychological help to deal with the deep trauma. โ€œEdima was in a state of shock and grief, unable to comprehend the whirlwind of emotions,โ€ says Dr. Nasrin. โ€œThe loss of her family and the baby she had so eagerly anticipated was overwhelming.โ€

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The emergency operation theatre at the maternity hospital.

UNFPA was there to help, coordinating with local authorities and partners to provide psychosocial support, in addition to establishing mobile health units offering maternal and reproductive health services and essential medicines and supplies, including for safe births and emergency obstetric care.

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Supplies arrive at the maternity hospital.
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UNFPA mobile health teams arrive on the scene.
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A doctor at a UNFPA mobile clinic assists a woman in the village of Ghar Moshak.

A team of midwives now staffs the mobile health units, offering crucial services for women โ€“ whose reproductive health needs are often overlooked when catastrophe strikes. 

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A UNFPA team overseeing reproductive health services in Ghar Moshak.

Hanifa, a young pregnant woman from the rural Zinda Jan district, received life-saving support from one of those midwives. When her house fell to pieces, she took shelter in a cramped tent, gripped by fear and uncertainty, as she was beginning to experience contractions. Rahna, a midwife from the UNFPA mobile health team, was dispatched to guide Hanifa through the labour process, helping deliver her baby safely. 

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Hanifa, profoundly relieved to have delivered her child safely.

Looking back on the tumultuous experience, Hanifa says, โ€œAt first, when those pains hit me, I felt so lost and hopeless. But then Rahna the midwife arrived like an angel. She held my hand, and her words were like a soothing balm for my fears.โ€

Rahna shares Hanifaโ€™s joy. โ€œIt was a challenging situation, but when I saw the relief on Hanifa's face as she held her baby, I felt a profound sense of pride,โ€ she says.

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Rhana cares for Hanifa and her newborn.
โ€œIn the midst of disaster, we brought a glimmer of hope.โ€

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