The Guardian and Zan Times have reported that the Taliban have barred male doctors from examining and treating female patients in several provinces across Afghanistan.

According to a report published on Thursday, November 12, the restriction has not been formally or publicly announced. However, accounts from patients and doctors indicate that it is being enforced in parts of the country.

Doctors say Taliban forces have inspected clinics, warned male practitioners against treating female patients and, in some cases, threatened them with imprisonment.

The Guardian quoted a surgeon with 15 years of experience at a hospital in northern Afghanistan as saying that male doctors are not allowed to examine women directly, even in emergencies, unless a male guardian accompanies the patient or certain conditions are met.

In one reported case, a woman in Herat was unable to complete her dental treatment after paying for the procedure.

According to the woman, clinic staff told her that under an order from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, male doctors were no longer permitted to treat female patients.

The reported restriction comes as women in Afghanistan have also been barred from attending medical institutes since December 2024. The shortage of female doctors has further complicated women’s access to healthcare services.

The Guardian and Zan Times report that, in some cases, women have been forced to travel to other provinces to receive treatment or have avoided seeking medical care despite being ill.

This comes despite remarks by Hamdullah Nomani, the Taliban’s Minister of Telecommunications, who said in February that male doctors would be considered mahrams when treating female patients. However, accounts collected from patients and doctors indicate that the restrictions are still being enforced in several healthcare facilities.