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Highlighting that Afghanistan has the highest maternal mortality rate in the Asia-Pacific region, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has raised concerns over the rise in maternal mortality during childbirth in the war-ravaged country.
According to the UNFPA report released on August 17, Afghanistan is likely to witness 51,000 more maternal deaths by 2025. The country has the highest rate of maternal deaths in the region of Asia-Pacific at "638 deaths/100,000 live births," reported Khaama Press. In the remote regions of Afghanistan, approximately 24,000 women give birth each month which is why there is an ardent need for access to trained nurses and midwives in the country. 396 pregnant women in Afghanistan died in 2018 out of 100,000 live births, a considerable decline from previous years, which is almost half of the figures this year, Khaama Press reported citing the report. Donors were providing over USD 1 billion yearly for the medical sector in Afghanistan, but as soon as the Taliban took back power in August last year, the development aid went off the charts. This comes as Afghanistan is experiencing the world's "worst" humanitarian crisis and hunger crisis poverty, and unemployment are at their top. The ongoing economic crisis in Kabul has caused abject poverty in the region. As per analysts, the primary reason for the rise in poverty is due to political changes. Moreover, following the Taliban regime in the country, many private businesses have stopped operating as well impacting the country even more. Moreover, millions of Afghans are on the brink of starvation as the country reels from a humanitarian crisis. Afghanistan also has the highest level of suffering measured for any country since 2005. (ANI)
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