For the over 4,000 residents of the Afghanistan community in Garko Ward, Gombe State, the rainy season brings more than just rain — it brings fear and isolation.

The community depends on a single wooden bridge as its only link to the outside world. But every time the rains come, the bridge becomes submerged, cutting off access to schools, markets, and most critically, hospitals.

The consequences have been devastating. Hajiya Fatima, a pregnant woman from the community, lost her life during childbirth. She couldn’t reach a health centre in time because the flooded bridge made passage impossible.

Her story is part of a larger crisis. Maternal mortality in Nigeria remains one of the highest in the world, and delayed access to medical care is a major factor. Health experts identify three critical delays that determine survival: the time it takes to recognize the need for care, the time it takes to reach a health facility, and the time it takes to receive proper treatment once there. For communities like Afghanistan, the second delay — simply getting to a hospital — is the most brutal barrier.

Locals say they have repeatedly appealed to the government for help. They want a proper bridge that can withstand the rains, and basic road infrastructure that won’t abandon them every wet season. So far, their pleas have gone unanswered.

With no nearby health centre of their own, residents are forced to travel to distant towns for medical help. During the rainy months, every trip is a gamble. Pregnant women, sick children, and the elderly are the ones who pay the highest price.

For now, all the community can do is wait — and hope the next rainy season doesn’t claim another life.