Women in Afghanistan, especially those living in poorly served and hard-to-reach areas, do not have access to life-saving maternal and reproductive health services, one of the reasons why the country has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with a rate of 638 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Providing access to quality maternal, reproductive, neonatal, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services through the Family Health Houses (FHH) saves lives and develops stronger families and communities.
According to the UNFPA simulation exercise, the cost of inaction would result in 6,163 maternal deaths by the end of 2025.
IMPACT
The Family Health House (FHH) has established itself as a cost-effective element in the basic health services package, so much so that it has now been incorporated into Afghanistan’s National Health Policy 2025-2030.
Family Health Houses have been shown to make significant improvements in access to maternal, reproductive, neonatal, child and adolescent health services that meet the needs of disadvantaged populations, especially women and adolescent girls, Removing geographical, financial and cultural barriers.
202 Family Health House sostenute dall’Italia dal 2022, e 1047,435 persone raggiunte
Services provided by the FHH
- Prenatal and postnatal care
- Skilled assistance in childbirth
- Family planning counselling and services
- Essential care of the newborn
- Integrated management of neonatal and childhood diseases
- Obstetric fistula screening and referral to UNFPA treatment centres
- Referral of complicated cases and follow-up
Integrated services
- Nutrition
- Routine immunisation
- Health services for young people
- Psychosocial support services