Factors influencing the retention of midwives in the public sector in Afghanistan: a qualitative assessment of midwives in eight provinces.

Objective: to examine factors that affect retention of public sector midwives throughout their career in Afghanistan.

Design: qualitative assessment using semi-structured in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs).

Setting: health clinics in eight provinces in Afghanistan, midwifery education schools in three provinces, and stakeholder organisations in Kabul.