Women in the western Afghan city of Herat are reportedly being denied access to public hospitals unless they wear a burka, according to medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

The aid group said the directive, introduced on November 5, requires female patients, caretakers and healthcare staff to don the full-body Islamic covering before entering medical facilities. The story was reported in English language Afghan media around the same time but has since been removed. According to the BBC, MSF warned that the new rules were further curtailing women’s already restricted access to essential healthcare.

The group has reported a sharp decline in hospital admissions, noting a 28% fall in cases requiring immediate attention at the Herat Regional Hospital during the first few days of enforcement. MSF staff said Taliban members were stationed at hospital entrances to ensure compliance with the new dress code.

A burka is a traditional Muslim piece of clothing that covers the entire face and body, typically leaving only a mesh screen to see through.

The Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which enforces the regime’s strict interpretation of Islamic law, however, rejected MSF’s account according to the BBC. “This is totally false. The position of the ministry is generally on the wearing of hijab,” said spokesperson Saif-ul-Islam Khyber in the BBC report, referring to the broader concept of modest dress for Muslim women. He also dismissed claims that women were being turned away for not wearing the burka.

However, residents and activists in Herat have reportedly said that Taliban guards have been enforcing the rule for at least a week, extending it to other public spaces such as schools and government offices. One female activist cited in the BBC report added that women without burkas had been refused entry to hospitals.

The reported restrictions have sparked criticism across social media, with some users posting videos of women burning burkas in protest.

The burka was mandatory during the Taliban’s first period in power in the 1990s. Since the group’s return to power in August 2021, it has reimposed a series of measures restricting women’s freedom, barring them from most jobs, universities and secondary schools.

In 2022, the Taliban issued a decree urging women to wear a full-face veil in public - an order officials described at the time as “advice”. But according to MSF, Herat marks the first instance of strict enforcement.

The United Nations has repeatedly urged the Taliban to end what it calls “gender apartheid”. Last week, the UN suspended operations at the Islam Qala border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran after women working for its agencies were blocked from performing their duties.