Photo: A midwife examines Saz Bibi in the Chepri Family Health House (FHH) in Kunar Province. © UNFPA

For years, access to healthcare in the remote village of Sapari, located in Watapoor District, Kunar Province, was limited.

The nearest health facility was at least five kilometres away, over difficult terrain. Visiting it required time, money, and transport that most local families lack. Common illnesses often become serious long before treatment is sought.

Saz Bibi, 35, is a mother of six from Sapari. Like many women there, she has never attended school and earns no independent income. Her family depends on irregular means to meet their daily needs.

When Saz Bibi developed severe pneumonia, her condition worsened quickly. Breathing became difficult, and her strength faded. In the past, this emergency would have forced her family to undertake a long, uncertain, and unaffordable journey to a distant clinic.

Instead, Saz Bibi was taken to the Chepri Family Health House, a newly established nearby facility supported by the joint programme funded by STFA. The FHH serves as a first-level primary healthcare center for remote communities, providing essential services such as antenatal and postnatal care, safe delivery support, and treatment for common illnesses.

At the clinic, Saz Bibi received immediate attention. The health staff examined her, provided the necessary medication, and monitored her until her condition stabilized. Saz Bibi felt a sense of relief knowing that care was finally accessible within her own community. For the first time, families can seek help without dangerous delays. After her treatment, Saz Bibi said, “The availability of medicines and services made a significant difference to my health and comfort. I now feel confident that if my children or I fall ill again, I know where to go, close to home.”

Saz Bibi hopes the services at the Chepri FHH will continue to expand, specifically to include immunization and nutritional support for children, thereby further improving the village’s overall well-being.