Can Clinics Built by UAE Transform Healthcare in Afghanistan?

June 30, 2025: In a small village near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Shazia Mohammadi welcomed her seventh child—Fatima—with professional medical support for the first time. Born in one of ten UAE-funded maternity clinics recently opened across Afghanistan, Fatima’s birth marks a hopeful new chapter for thousands of Afghan families.

“These clinics have changed our lives,” said Shazia. “We used to deliver children at home in unsafe conditions. Now, we have doctors, medicine, and care close to us. We’re truly grateful.”

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Her husband, Ramadan, shared how six of their previous children were born at home due to the lack of transportation and healthcare facilities. “This clinic is a blessing. We’ve never had one so close before.”

Built by the UAE in seven provinces—Nangarhar, Balkh, Herat, Paktia, Paktika, Helmand, and Kandahar—the clinics offer much more than safe deliveries. They provide pediatric care, vaccinations, nutritional support, contraceptive services, and community health education. Staffed by trained medical professionals, they also serve as lifelines for high-risk pregnancies.

Dr. Ikramullah, working at one such facility, noted the impact: “We’re not just seeing safer births. We’re also seeing stronger babies, fewer complications, and improved vaccination coverage. This will help reduce Afghanistan’s infant mortality rate, which remains among the world’s highest.”

The story of Ayesha Qamari, a baby regularly visiting the clinic with her mother, illustrates the change. “Before, we couldn’t reach hospitals in time,” her mother said. “Now, the clinic is right here. It’s saving lives.”

More than 100 Afghans have been employed through the initiative, and local businesses have emerged to support the new medical centers, creating a ripple effect on the regional economy.

“These clinics have been a game changer,” said Mawlawi Ameenullah Sharif, Health Director of Nangarhar. “They’re giving the poor access to quality healthcare for the first time.”

Powered by solar energy and equipped with ambulances, the facilities are expected to benefit over 100,000 women in the coming years—proving that access to healthcare can be life-changing.