Since 2006, Shahla Oruzgani worked at Kabul’s Malalai Maternity Hospital, one of the busiest maternity hospitals in Kabul, Afghanistan. As a midwife, Oruzgani has dedicated her life to helping women and children. When the Taliban took power in Afghanistan last year, Her mission is only becoming clearer. “I work with a sense of responsibility,” she said. “I am committed and the reason behind this is that mothers and babies need my support.” Below, in her own words, Oruzgani is working through the crisis — and the supplies her hospital desperately needs to keep saving lives.
I work at a maternity hospital in Kabul, the capital and largest city in Afghanistan. We offer three main types of services, including prenatal care, midwifery services, and postpartum care. We do our best to ensure that the mothers and babies in our care are carefully observed and both receive adequate support.
Then, last year, our lives changed.
The crisis unfolding here in Kabul has not — and will not — stop my mission to help women. I report to work with a sense of responsibility. I am committed, and the reason behind this is that mothers and babies need my support. My hope for girls and women in Afghanistan is more education and a life free of violence.
Although our government has changed, there has been no change in the mission and function of my hospital. We continue to provide reproductive and maternal health services, and our staff and employees report to work as usual. We won’t stop, no matter what.
Women are the population group most affected by the war in Afghanistan. I ask for the support and leadership of our current government to give more and better support to the women here. We need standard medical facilities in remote, hard-to-reach and remote areas. The majority of women there face the loss of children or even death due to inability to access medical facilities. They need lifesaving support to prevent maternal death.
Because women are so vulnerable in Afghanistan, we need more humanitarian assistance – especially when it comes to the health system. The broader international community should not associate humanitarian assistance with politics here.
As a midwife, I reflect the voices of Afghan women in need of medical support and services. I hope that what I am saying can be amplified globally, because these vulnerable Afghan women need attention in such critical times.
Organizations like United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has supported my hospital by providing medical equipment, supplies and medicines for reproductive health. This helps ensure a safe delivery and manage pregnancy and delivery complications. UNFPA also supports the obstetric fistula services we treat and is one of the most serious birth injuries.
However, we are in short supply of logistical supplies and medicines. Employee salary is not enough. We are also short of food for bed-ridden patients and staff on duty. Even so, we all do our best to ensure that operations run smoothly. We need this support to be maintained so that we can keep the hospital running and care for more people, especially women.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
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