In Afghanistan, Taliban's Undeclared Rule Bars Male Doctors from Treating Women Without a Mahram

In Afghanistan, the Taliban government has given an undeclared instruction that male doctors should not treat women patients unless a male companion, a mahram, is present or a female nurse is in attendance. The British newspaper The Guardian reported this on Thursday (12 November).

According to the report, Taliban fighters are forcing male doctors to comply with the instruction. As a result, without a mahram or a female nurse, male doctors cannot directly examine a woman patient, however serious her condition may be.

The Guardian cited an incident from last July in its report. In July, a woman named Farida (a pseudonym) went to a clinic with severe toothache. A dentist there examined her and said several of her teeth would have to be removed and replaced. For that, she would need to visit the clinic several times.

Farida did visit the clinic three times. But then the clinic phoned her and told her not to come until they called her. When no call came, she phoned them herself. The clinic then told her that a special situation had forced them to take this decision. She was told she would be informed if the situation changed, but no call ever came afterwards.

Dr Shamim (a pseudonym), a doctor at a government hospital in northern Afghanistan, confirmed the undeclared instruction to The Guardian. He said, 'We have no opportunity to examine women patients directly, because we are not their mahram. Whatever the patient's condition, serious or less serious, there is no difference in this regard.'

The Guardian said that while the Taliban government is obstructing women's treatment by male doctors, it has also stopped women from studying medicine since 2024. The report also said the appointment of women doctors in hospitals has been stopped.

According to the report, women doctors who are still providing medical services are also required to keep a mahram with them.

One woman patient told The Guardian that she went with her father to see a male doctor. But even though her father was with her, the doctor did not see her. Instead she was told she would be seen when another woman came with a mahram, so that woman could assist if there was any need to touch the body.

As there was no female staff member in that doctor's chamber, the patient was told to wait until another woman arrived.