Universities without borders: Teaching medicine to women in Afghanistan

A surgeon and professor at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Karim Qayumi never cut ties with his home country, Afghanistan. He was deeply shaken by the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. “It’s a really tragic situation,” he says.  

Over the last four years, the Taliban regime has issued 70 edicts restricting the rights of women and post-pubescent girls. When in public, they are forbidden from singing or speaking, must wear a burqa, and must be accompanied by a male guardian. In September, a study from the Journal of Public Health painted an alarming picture: 87.6% of the 426 Afghan women interviewed showed symptoms of depression, with almost half reporting suicidal ideation. UNESCO reports that Afghanistan is also the only country in the world to ban girls over 12 from attending school.  

These restrictions have serious consequences for health care. By Taliban decree only female staff can treat women, yet female doctors and nurses make up just 20 per cent of Afghanistan’s health care workforce.  This in a country that already has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. 

Susan Ferguson, country representative for UN Women Afghanistan, expects that this gender segregation will lead to a devastating 25 per cent rise in early marriage and 45 per cent rise in adolescent pregnancy by 2026. 

A virtual medical school 

In response to the developing crisis, Dr. Qayumi created the Canadian Virtual Medical University Initiative (CVMUI), an online university exclusively for women. Currently, 164 Afghan women are enrolled in the Medical Doctorate program, with 55 more on the waiting list. 

Instruction is given entirely online, a method of teaching medicine that is “innovative and unprecedented,” he says. The course material, which was compiled over 18 months, connects theory with medical practice using case studies. The program concludes with an internship at a university hospital in Afghanistan. 

“We provide [students with] computers, Internet connection, and spare batteries in case of a power outage,” says Dr. Qayumi. “And, of course, the university is free to attend.” All instructors are volunteers. Coursework is given in English. Roughly 80 women are taking classes to improve their English skills. Though the CVMUI also offers programs in kinesiology, nursing and midwifery, these women are committed to becoming doctors. 

“For their sake”: Delicate negotiations with the Taliban 

For the project to go ahead, Dr. Qayumi had to convince the Taliban to allow it. “I said I’d bring the university to the students, so the students didn’t have to go anywhere. That appeased them,” he says. A memorandum of understanding was signed with the Afghan minister of higher education: As long as the program respected Taliban law, the students were permitted to pursue their studies. 

But the situation remains precarious. Dr. Qayumi doesn’t want anything to jeopardize his diplomatic relationship with Afghan leaders and risk letting down his students. For the women’s sake, he’s working on getting the credentials they earn through CVMUI recognized both in Afghanistan and abroad. 

Almost 80 per cent of Afghan girls and women are currently forbidden from attending school or work. The UN estimates these restrictions could cost Afghanistan $920 million USD by 2026. Despite this, Dr. Qayumi holds onto a glimmer of hope. “Taliban leaders understand how crucial female doctors are to the country’s future and the survival of Afghan women.” 

This article is part of the “Universities without borders” series, which highlights the work of Canadian professors teaching in war-torn and unstable countries.