BAGHLAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – “Women were in shock. They’ve lost their homes, they’ve lost family members.”

Midwife Habiba Danish still vividly recalls the images of the destruction caused by massive flooding that has affected over 60,000 people in northern Afghanistan so far this month. “We had to trek for seven hours and stay overnight on the way to reach Pushta Kaja Village, because the roads were impassable,” Ms. Danish told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency.

But what struck her most was the suffering she witnessed among the women she attended to. As they reached the village, the team found a 25-year-old woman who was four months pregnant and in distress. 

“Her home had been destroyed, putting her family in a dire situation,” recalled Ms. Danish. “After examining her and administering some medication prescribed by the doctor in our team, I advised her to seek further evaluation from a well-equipped health facility for an ultrasound examination.”