KABUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan continues to face one of the world's highest maternal mortality rates, with 521 women dying for every 100,000 live births due to preventable complications, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported.

According to the report on Tuesday, obstetric fistula, a severe maternal morbidity caused primarily by prolonged obstructed labor, results in continuous urinary or faecal incontinence, chronic health problems and profound social stigmatization.

Many affected women face isolation from their families and communities, are unable to engage in gainful activities, and endure deep psychological distress, the report stated.

Despite its devastating impact on women's health and well-being, fistula remains a hidden and under-addressed condition. Women living with the injury often suffer in silence due to shame, limited access to specialized surgical care, and a pervasive lack of awareness that effective treatment is available, the report added. ■