The Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) project supported by USAID, led by Abt and implemented by AFGA provides ultrasound services through 4 ultrasonologists in Rabia Balkhi, Balkh, Herat and Nangarhar Static Clinics. Besides, AFGA provides community-based services through 10 Community Outreach Midwives (COMs) in Kabul Province pre-urban areas.

After the collapse of the ex-regime many people became jobless, especially women, and the poverty line declined to 90%. The purchasing power of people went down. There was a high demand between women and girls for receiving cheap services. Therefore, AFGA initiated this project and installed four ultrasound machines in Kabul Rabia Balkhi Hospital, Herat RH, Nangarhar RH, and Balkh. Now, there are 4 ultrasonologists in 4 static clinics providing US services with only 50 Afs which is 20% of market people. 

AFGA wants to decrease its dependency on external donors for services provision so for the sustainability of its services AFGA started the development of a business & sustainability plan. 

Additionally, the community outreach midwives provide essential SRH services to communities such as HIV counseling, STI counseling, Family Planning General counseling, provision of short-term family planning methods, post-abortion counseling, urology counseling, infertility, and subfertility counseling at the clients’ doorstep, and more importantly, referring clients to nearest health facilities, especially for ultrasonography services and hopefully in near future for broad SRH services in AFGA’s CRHC. This will help AFGA to be self-dependent and secure SRH services in the target sites. Upon successful implementation of this project, AFGA plans to replicate this initiative in other provinces of Afghanistan.