UPDATES

We are excited to share progress on our new clinic in Helmand province, which will provide medical care to 24,000 women annually. Here are the latest developments:

• Clinic Staffing: The clinic will be staffed entirely by women, including eight midwives, four nurses, and support staff who will all be trained to work diligently in the facility. This all-female staff ensures that women will be allowed by their husbands to receive medical care in a culturally acceptable environment. Support staff includes security guards, chefs, and people to clean and maintain the building. The clinic will be run by Mariam, who will be the first U.S.-trained female doctor in the area.

• Facility Details: The clinic will be a walled and well-guarded facility with seven rooms, ensuring the safety and privacy of all patients and staff. It will also include state-of-the-art medical equipment so we can provide the best care possible to all patients. We will start with seven rooms with plans to expand over time as the demand for women’s healthcare is dire.

• Construction Progress: Construction on the clinic has begun. The outside area has been built, and the construction supervisor is in place to start working on the facility. An engineer and architect have drawn up plans. The team is ready for the funding and the go-ahead to start building. A generous couple has given a $25,000 match donation to begin building the facility. 

Mariam is now halfway through her third year of medical school, marking a significant milestone in her journey to becoming the first U.S.-trained female physician in Southern Afghanistan. This year, she is transitioning from theoretical learning to practical experience, applying her knowledge in real-world settings by caring for patients in hospitals and outpatient clinics. “This year is totally different,” she says. “Here we see things practically. This is more interesting.”

By the end of the third year, she will rotate through all of the major specialties in medicine, including internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, general surgery, OBGYN, emergency medicine, and psychiatry.

She began her third year with a demanding 12-week rotation in general surgery, known for its intensity and rigorous responsibilities. During this rotation, Mariam worked closely with patients in the surgery clinic and operating rooms, assisting in preparations, procedures, and post-operative care. Following her surgery rotation, Mariam moved on to psychiatry, a field she found deeply rewarding and highly relevant to the mental health challenges faced by many women in Afghanistan.

“I can see that this is a really deep sector of medicine that is not explored in Afghanistan,” she says. “I intend to learn more about it and convey this knowledge to people in Afghanistan, especially women.”

She recently completed a rotation in pediatrics. At the end of each rotation, she takes a standardized exam which helps to determine her grade, before moving on to her next rotation. Next up will be family medicine.

Hearing from friends and family back home in Afghanistan about the changes taking place under the Taliban, she is steadfast in her mission to return and bring care to women and children.

“The facility is needed now more than ever. The Taliban has closed all the doors for women. Now women are suppressed even more, have increased mental health problems, plus their physical health conditions,” she says.