KABUL, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan remains one of the most perilous countries in the world for mothers and newborns due to extremely high mortality rates and persistent funding constraints, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said, according to local media reports on Saturday.
The UNFPA reported that the country records 521 neonatal deaths per 100,000 live births, ranking highest in the Asia-Pacific region and among the highest globally.
The agency currently supports nearly 500 family health centers across Afghanistan and plans to deliver essential health services to about 4.5 million people in 2026, with particular attention to remote and underserved areas, the report added.
Ongoing shortages of funds and trained medical staff continue to challenge efforts to reduce preventable deaths. ■
