Afghan women told to ‘go home’ after de facto ban on male doctors treating them

The Taliban has imposed a de facto ban on male doctors treating Afghan women, forcing women into difficult and dangerous situations when seeking medical care. This restriction has left many women with untreated health issues, as they are denied access to essential healthcare services. Farida*, a 37-year-old woman from Herat, experienced firsthand the consequences of this ban when she sought dental treatment.

Despite being in excruciating pain due to severe tooth decay, the dentist at a clinic in Bakrabad area of Herat refused to treat her, citing an order from the Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Farida was told to "go home, and we will call you ourselves because a problem has come up," and her treatment was never completed.

Similar stories have emerged across Afghanistan, with women being denied emergency care and treatment, forcing them to either risk their health or seek treatment from unqualified female providers. The Taliban's crackdown on women's access to medical care comes at a time when women are also being restricted from becoming doctors themselves.

With women losing the right to study at medical institutes and being barred from hiring female staff, the remaining female doctors are required to have a male guardian (mahram) when treating female patients. This has led to absurd situations, such as women being prohibited from being addressed by their actual names by officials, and doctors being ordered not to examine female patients without a mahram present.

The testimonies gathered reveal the Taliban's disregard for human life, as they impose these restrictions despite claiming that doctors treating female patients would be exempt from the prohibitions.