Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of births attended by skilled health staff was 61.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Afghanistan, 2000–2020
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of births attended by skilled health staff in Afghanistan is 61.8%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 80.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of births attended by skilled health staff in Afghanistan peaked at 61.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.4%, in 2000.
Afghanistan ranks 154th of 169 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.4% | — |
| 2003 | 14.3% | +15.3% |
| 2006 | 18.9% | +32.2% |
| 2008 | 24.0% | +27.0% |
| 2010 | 34.3% | +42.9% |
| 2011 | 38.6% | +12.5% |
| 2012 | 39.9% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 45.2% | +13.3% |
| 2015 | 50.5% | +11.7% |
| 2017 | 53.4% | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 58.8% | +10.1% |
| 2020 | 61.8% | +5.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.4% | 12.4% | 24.0% | 4 |
| 2010s | 45.8% | 34.3% | 58.8% | 7 |
| 2020s | 61.8% | 61.8% | 61.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 151 Mali 67.3% compare
- 152 Lao People's Democratic Republic 64.4% compare
- 153 Tanzania, United Republic of 63.5% compare
- 155 Myanmar 60.2% compare
- 156 Bangladesh 59.0% compare
- 157 Timor-Leste 56.7% compare
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 812.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 3.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0046 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 3.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0039 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of births attended by skilled health staff in Afghanistan?
- Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Afghanistan was 61.8% in 2020, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of births attended by skilled health staff recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 61.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of births attended by skilled health staff recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.4% in 2000.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of births attended by skilled health staff?
- Afghanistan ranks 154th out of 169 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of births attended by skilled health staff rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 80.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of births attended by skilled health staff. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Skilled health staff refers to professionals trained to give the necessary supervision, care, and advice to women during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period; to conduct deliveries on their own; and to care for newborns.