The Taliban-controlled National Examination Authority has announced that the medical licensing exam, known as the "Exit" exam, will be held tomorrow, Friday, without the participation of female graduates.
Naser Khan Shirzai, a spokesman for the authority, stated on Thursday, October 8, that the exam will be administered to graduates of curative medicine. According to him, the exit exam for dentistry graduates will take place on October 16 (24 Mizan).
This development comes as female graduates have been barred from taking this crucial exam for the past five years. The test is mandatory for obtaining a license to practice medicine in Afghanistan, and being excluded effectively ends the medical careers of thousands of women before they can even begin.
This exclusion not only impacts the professional futures of educated women but also severely complicates access to healthcare for women and girls. In a conservative society like Afghanistan, many families prefer female members to be treated by female doctors.
The ban on women taking the exam has led to a critical shortage of female doctors in hospitals and clinics across the country. The situation is particularly dire in remote provinces where access to healthcare was already limited.
Women's rights activists and international organizations have repeatedly called on the Taliban government to lift these restrictions and allow women to participate in all sectors of society, including healthcare. However, these calls have so far gone unheeded.
Source: Media reports
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