The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched a transformative project to establish ten state-of-the-art maternity and pediatric centres across Afghanistan. Guided by the humanitarian vision of the UAE’s founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and supported by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, this initiative aims to address critical healthcare needs while fostering stability, development, and prosperity in Afghanistan.
The maternity clinics are strategically located in Afghan provinces where the need for healthcare services is most critical, including Nangarhar, Balkh, Herat, Ghazni, Paktika, Paktia, Kandahar, and Helmand Provinces. Each centre is equipped with two specialist beds and staffed by dedicated doctors and nursing professionals. It is estimated that over 115,000 women will directly benefit from the services, along with hundreds of thousands of relatives and wider communities. These clinics are equipped with solar power, satellite-linked stations, mobile clinics, and ambulances, improving the quality of life, empowering women and children, and strengthening local communities.
The medical centre in Baghbani district of Jalalabad is already serving expectant mothers and those with infants and young children in need of medical care. Before the clinic’s opening, local families struggled to receive reliable vaccines due to a lack of supplies and refrigeration. Baby Ayesha Qamari is one of many fortunate children to receive health checks and vaccinations that will help prevent disease. Afghanistan, with one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world, faces approximately 43 deaths per 1,000 live births. Infectious diseases, respiratory infections, diarrhoea, malaria, pre-term birth complications, and birth asphyxia are major contributors to these statistics.
The clinic in Jalalabad is located nearly 30 kilometers from the city, and now surrounding families have access to modern vaccines, including those against tuberculosis, for the first time. Refrigerated storage and plentiful supplies mean more than 20 people are served every day. Marwa Akbari, a clinic vaccination officer, shared, “Currently, we are administering the COVID-19 and BCG vaccines to eligible individuals here. This vaccine is given to both pregnant and non-pregnant women who meet the criteria.”
Dr. Ikramullah, the leading doctor at the clinic, emphasized the significance of this new facility in rural areas, saying, “We are trying. Previously, there were unsafe births happening at home, but now we are carrying them out with the help of a professional team. Along with all of this, we provide vaccination and nutrition support for newborns. We also have treatment facilities for mothers facing internal health issues.”
The UAE has identified Afghanistan as one of its key areas for humanitarian and sustainable aid. Under the close supervision of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Martyrs’ Families Affairs, the UAE’s Integrated Development Program in Afghanistan is delivering top-quality healthcare services across the country.
The impact of the project has been deeply felt by Afghan families. Shazia Mohammadi, a mother of six, expressed her gratitude after naming her newborn daughter Fatima in honor of Her Highness, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, the “Mother of the Nation” and wife of the UAE’s founder. Shazia had never benefited from modern healthcare before the UAE’s intervention. She said, “We have six children in the house, and the other is Fatima. When I was giving birth, our economic situation was very bad. Now our situation is good. Things have improved since we have received help. Thanks to God, I hope we will have a good life. We thank the UAE for helping us so much.”
Shazia added, “This is the first baby born in the clinic, and they promised to help us. When we came home, a few days after they called at our home, we told them the baby’s name would be Fatima. We received even more help with food, and we are so grateful for this help.”
Ramadan Mohammadi, the father of Baby Fatima, shared his experience, saying, “Six of our children were born at home. There were difficulties, the economy was weak, and the clinic was far, so we couldn’t go, and they were born at home. This is the first time a clinic has been built near our house, and it has been very good for us.”
The maternity centre initiative is not only improving healthcare but also creating economic opportunities. With 92 jobs generated and local businesses stimulated, the project is uplifting families and strengthening community resilience. Mawlawi Ameenullah Sharif, the Health Director of Nangarhar Province, expressed his appreciation for the UAE’s efforts, stating, “First of all, we thank the United Arab Emirates for supporting the Islamic Emirate and for their investment in building one clinic in each province of Afghanistan. The clinic built in Nangarhar was urgently needed by the people. I am very pleased that the poor people now have access to healthcare services. In this clinic, the vaccination, nutrition, and maternal and child health sections have been actively functioning.”
Jalalabad, Afghanistan’s fifth-largest city with a population of approximately 350,000, is just one of the many locations benefiting from the UAE’s extensive humanitarian efforts. The UAE is funding several charitable projects across Afghanistan, prioritizing assistance regardless of identity markers such as race, class, ethnicity, sect, political orientation, or ideological proclivities. Through these initiatives, the UAE continues to demonstrate its commitment to solidarity, generosity, and sustainable development, fostering long-term benefits for the people of Afghanistan.
