An unofficial ban preventing male doctors from treating women appears to be spreading across Afghanistan, according to media reports and interviews with women and doctors. This restriction has reportedly forced women into challenging situations when seeking medical care.
One patient, Farida, 37, was told her dental treatment could not be completed in early July after an order reportedly came from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. This order stated that male dentists were no longer allowed to treat female patients.
Doctors in most provinces have also reportedly received directives from the Taliban instructing them not to examine female patients. They state they are not allowed to provide emergency care or examinations to women, except under specific conditions such as the presence of a male guardian or if certain procedures are performed by female nurses.
The crackdown on women receiving medical treatment coincides with restrictions on women becoming doctors. Since December 2024, women have lost the right to study at medical institutes, and hospitals have confirmed a ban on hiring female staff.