Since the return of the Islamic Emirate, Afghanistan’s already fragile healthcare system has deteriorated, with stark inequalities for women and rural populations. The system faces a severe lack of funding, inadequate infrastructure and a critical shortage of qualified professionals, which has been exacerbated by prohibitions targeting women since 2021. These failings are felt most acutely in rural areas, where resources were already limited. With the population’s health hanging in the balance, Jelena Bjelica and the AAN team reached out to rural women in 19 provinces to gain their insights on the healthcare services available in their area and their ability to access them. The women highlighted numerous challenges, including having to make the difficult journey to often distant district or provincial centres to receive treatment. Many women reported a scarcity of medicines and highlighted the financial burdens families face when caring for sick and frail members. The high cost of healthcare often leads to difficult decisions, such as women postponing their own visits to health centres and placing their trust in traditional cures, including herbal remedies and the use of amulets provided by local mullahs.