'My wife died giving birth after Trump cut funding to our clinic'

Thu Oct 16 2025 22:51:45 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A heartbreaking account from Abdul Wakeel reveals the tragic loss of his wife, Shahnaz, and their newborn daughter after vital healthcare facilities in Afghanistan closed due to US aid cuts made under the Trump administration.

Abdul Wakeel's family faced unimaginable tragedy when his wife Shahnaz died giving birth alongside their newborn daughter due to the closure of their local clinic in Afghanistan. Abdul's heart-wrenching story highlights the dire consequences of US aid cuts, which have led to the closure of over 400 medical facilities in Afghanistan, exacerbating maternal and infant mortality rates in one of the world's poorest countries. The Trump administration's abrupt decision to withdraw support from the region has left families without essential healthcare services, leaving many like Abdul to grapple with devastating loss and grief.

When Shahnaz went into labour, her husband Abdul called a taxi to take them to the only medical facility accessible to them. She was in a lot of pain, he says.

A 20-minute drive away, the clinic was in Shesh Pol village in Afghanistan's north-eastern Badakhshan province. It was where their two older children were born.

Abdul sat next to Shahnaz comforting her as they drove over gravel tracks to reach help. But when we reached the clinic, we saw that it was closed. I didn't know it had shut down, he said, his face crumpling with agony.

Warning: Readers may find some details in this article distressing.

The clinic in Shesh Pol is one of more than 400 medical facilities that closed down in Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest countries, after the Trump administration cut nearly all US aid to the country earlier this year, in a drastic and abrupt move following the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

A single-storey structure with four small rooms, white paint peeling off its walls, the Shesh Pol clinic has USAID posters tacked up everywhere with information and guidance for pregnant women and new mothers.

It doesn't look like much but in Badakhshan's mountainous, unforgiving terrain, where a lack of access has been a major reason for historically high maternal mortality rates, the clinic was a critical lifeline, part of a wider programme implemented during the tenure of the US-backed government in the country, to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.

It had a trained midwife who assisted around 25-30 deliveries every month. It had a stock of medicines and injections, and it also provided basic healthcare services.

Other medical facilities are simply too far from Abdul's village, and it was not without risk for Shahnaz to travel on bumpy roads. Abdul also didn't have money to pay for a longer journey - renting the taxi cost 1,000 Afghani ($14.65; £12.70), roughly a quarter of his monthly income as a labourer. So they decided to return home.

But the baby was coming and we had to stop by the side of the road, Abdul said.

Shahnaz delivered their baby girl in the car. Shortly after, she died, bleeding profusely. A few hours later, before she could be named, their baby also died.

I wept and screamed. My wife and child could've been saved if the clinic was open, said Abdul. We had a hard life, but we were living it together. I was always happy when I was with her.

He doesn't even have a photo of Shahnaz to hold on to.

There's no certainty the mother and baby would've survived if they'd been treated at the clinic, but without it, they didn't stand a chance, underlining the undeniable impact of US aid cuts in Afghanistan.

For decades, America has been the largest donor to Afghanistan, and in 2024, US funds made up a staggering 43% of all aid coming into the country.

The Trump administration has justified withdrawing it, saying there were credible and longstanding concerns that funding was benefiting terrorist groups, including... the Taliban, who govern the country. The US government further added that they had reports stating that at least $11m were being siphoned or enriching the Taliban.

In another home nearby, grief-stricken villagers recount similar stories. The closure of clinics has led to a surge in maternal deaths as families are forced to give birth without adequate medical support.

Dr. Shafiq Hamdard, director of a local hospital, highlighted that the patient load has skyrocketed while resources dwindle, leading to overcrowded conditions and inadequate care for the soaring number of mothers in need. The harrowing experiences of women forced to give birth at home demonstrate the devastating repercussions of the US aid cuts.

With the Taliban's policies restricting healthcare access and the closure of crucial medical facilities, the fate of Afghan women remains perilous, and many families continue to face heart-wrenching choices without any support or safety net in place.