WHO and partners provide lifesaving support for mothers and newborns in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan
27 March 2025, Bamyan, Afghanistan – In central Afghanistan’s Bamyan Province, thousands of mothers and children have better access to lifesaving health care thanks to an initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund. The US$ 1.1 million investment has reduced gaps in maternal and child health services, helping ensure medical support reaches those who need it most.
Afghanistan faces significant health challenges, including one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. The project boosted health care systems at 3 district hospitals in Bamyan Province, one of the country’s most remote and hard-to-reach areas. The facilities received essential medicines, medical supplies and commodities, enabling over 38 000 mothers and children to access health services. In addition, 250 health care workers in Bamyan have been trained in essential maternal and child health practices, equipping them to deliver high-quality care.
