Photo: A doctor in Badpakh health clinic in Laghman Province. © UNHCR

For years, accessing basic healthcare in the remote Badpakh District of Laghman Province was a challenge. As one of the poorest districts in the province, it has unpaved, difficult roads.

The area’s only health facility, which served six local villages, was badly damaged during the conflict. Stripped of a proper building, medical staff were forced to treat patients in temporary tents and small, cramped rooms.

The conditions were dire. “When it rained, water would flood the entire room,” a doctor recalled, describing how hard it was to treat people in such an environment.

Because the facility was so degraded, the district experienced high maternal and child mortality rates. “We used to treat three to four patients on one single bed,” a nurse shared. For anyone with a serious or complicated condition, the only option was a grueling, expensive journey over rough terrain to reach the provincial hospital. For many families, this trip was simply impossible.

To address this, through STFA’s joint programme, a new, comprehensive, solar-powered health clinic was constructed. It is designed to serve approximately 26,000 people across the district.

The new clinic provides a wide range of essential medical services directly to the community, including primary care, maternal and child health support, and preventive healthcare measures. For the residents of Badpakh, the facility brings immediate relief. “I am now very happy,” the doctor said, commending the improved facilities and comfort for the patients.