Ailing Afghanis sent home after doctors banned from treating women
What's the story
In Afghanistan, a de facto ban on male doctors treating female patients has left women in desperate situations. The unofficial restriction, imposed by Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, has been enforced across the country. The Guardian reported that Farida, a 37-year-old woman from Herat, was denied dental treatment after being told by a clinic that "an order has come from the Ministry...stating that male dentists are no longer allowed to treat female patients."
Enforcement details
Implementation of the ban
The ban, although not publicly announced, has been implemented across Afghanistan.
Dentists have reported that Taliban security forces have enforced the ban through raids and threats of imprisonment for male practitioners with female patients.
In most provinces, male doctors have also received directives from the Taliban barring them from examining female patients unless a mahram or female patient's male guardian is present or certain procedures are performed by female nurses.
Bizarre restrictions
Absurdity of the ban
The absurdity of the bans reached new heights in Balkh province, where officials were ordered to use "Bibi" instead of women's names on medical prescriptions.
The Taliban's crackdown on women receiving medical treatment coincides with their barring women from becoming doctors since December 2024.
The remaining practicing female doctors are also required to have a mahram.
Medical staff limitations
Contradicting Taliban claims
One patient recounted her experience of waiting to see a male doctor without female staff, despite arriving with her father.
She was told the doctor needed another female patient with her mahram to arrive so that if any problem arose the woman could help her, as the doctor would not be permitted to touch a female patient.
The testimonies collected contradict Taliban claims that exemptions would be made for doctors treating female patients.
Policy contradiction
Exemptions for male doctors
In February, Hamdullah Nomani, the Taliban's communications minister, said male doctors would be considered mahram when treating female patients.
But Nargis*, a dental clinic assistant in Jalalabad city, revealed some doctors have someone outside their clinic to watch out for Taliban officials during treatment.
"Our male doctor sometimes jokes: 'Let's keep a chadari [the full Afghan burqa] inside the office so...when they come, I can put it on so they won't recognize that I am a male doctor,'" she said.