The Impact of Female Journalists’ Health Programs on Rural Women’s Health Literacy in Takhar

Pajgard News Agency – Takhar Province
Written by: Shamin Najrabi
Monday, July 8, 2025

Lack of access to healthcare services has been one of the most pressing challenges facing women across Afghanistan, particularly in rural areas, for decades.

With the rise of mass media and the expansion of health awareness programs in rural and traditional communities, the level of health literacy among rural women has significantly increased. This highlights the crucial role of media and female journalists in disseminating information, raising awareness, and promoting health culture. In Takhar province, female journalists have produced health education programs that have had a direct impact on improving family health and have garnered strong support from rural women.

Nazira Arya, a host of health programs on a local radio station in Takhar, emphasizes the importance of media in raising women’s awareness on health topics. She notes that public awareness has increased through the broadcast of programs covering prenatal care, maternal nutrition, and other women’s health issues.

Arya adds, “Rural women, who are often occupied with daily chores and have limited access to other health resources, find it convenient to listen to such programs. They always find time to tune in.”

According to Arya, she receives numerous messages daily from listeners expressing support for the health programs, particularly those related to women’s hygiene and healthcare—demonstrating their positive impact on public awareness.

Sabera Sharifi, an obstetrician-gynecologist and guest speaker on a local Takhar health awareness program titled “Maternal and Infant Healthcare during Pregnancy”, believes that educating rural women through media—especially radio—has positively contributed to reducing maternal mortality and miscarriage rates.

These programs mainly focus on raising awareness about maternal mortality during childbirth, miscarriage, and various other diseases. They have gained a wide audience across different parts of Takhar province.

Sharifi believes that radio programs educating rural women have significantly improved families’ awareness and enhanced rural women’s access to essential health information.

However, in many regions of the country, including parts of Takhar province, numerous women still refrain from visiting health centers due to local customs, lack of health awareness, and the distance from clinics. In many cases, women even give birth at home.

Today, media serve as a vital bridge in addressing and solving community problems, and female journalists can play a pivotal role by organizing health programs that educate rural populations—especially women.

Farida Hafizi, director of a local radio station in Takhar, also highlights the role of media in raising rural women’s awareness. She states that currently, Radio Reyhan airs health programs covering topics such as the benefits of breastfeeding, prenatal and postnatal care, access to clean water, and hygiene practices.

Shukria Afghan, another host of health programs, says she launched her show specifically to raise rural women’s awareness. She believes the program provides useful information for families—especially women and girls—by broadcasting doctors’ recommendations and preventive health measures.

Rural women in Takhar have also expressed satisfaction with the increase in health education programs on local radio, emphasizing how much they’ve learned from them.

Bibi Halima, a resident of Kheirabad village and a regular listener of health programs in Takhar, says most of her health knowledge comes from the media, which she also shares with her family.

She describes the educational health programs as “a school” and says she has learned a lot through them.

In addition to Bibi Halima, women like Bibi Zakiya and Shakiba Kayhan also consider health programs for rural women a valuable and commendable initiative. They say they have learned vital hygiene practices—such as proper handwashing—from radio broadcasts and now teach these to their children.

According to Bibi Zakiya, she follows awareness programs daily and often no longer feels the need to visit health centers thanks to the knowledge gained.

The impact of health awareness programs has been so significant in Shakiba Kayhan’s life that villagers now refer to her as a “midwife” due to her acquired knowledge. Living in a remote village in Baharak district of Takhar, she says, “Health programs have played a vital role in our lives. We can now easily access important information.”

She adds that in the past, people in her village had little awareness of diseases, but radio programs have greatly increased their knowledge.

The lack of nearby clinics, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and poor access to health services remain serious challenges for rural women in parts of Takhar. However, health awareness programs have proven to be impactful for rural residents—especially women. These programs have made significant contributions to improving the lives, health, and social status of women in Takhar’s villages. They have enhanced access to healthcare services, raised public awareness, and helped prevent the spread of infectious diseases.