Acute health needs in Afghanistan must be addressed urgently and health benefits protected

We recently completed a high-level mission in Kabul, Afghanistan, where we met with senior members of the Taliban leadership, UN partners, health professionals and patients, and WHO staff.

The Afghan health system is on the verge of collapse. Unless urgent action is taken, the country faces an imminent humanitarian catastrophe. Our visit allowed us to see first-hand the immediate needs of the Afghan people and meet with stakeholders to define ways to urgently increase our health response.

Following the principles of the UN on neutrality and independence, we have engaged in a constructive dialogue to resolve differences and find solutions that will enable us to continue saving our lives for the millions of innocent Afghans affected by decades of conflict.

During our visit, we focused on a number of priority health issues that need urgent attention, as well as the need to invest in achieving long-term development goals.

Due to the reduction in donor support to the largest health project in the country, Sehetmandi, thousands of health facilities were left without funds for medical supplies and salaries for medical staff. Many of these facilities have now reduced their work or closed down, forcing health professionals to make difficult decisions about who to save and who to let die.

Only 17% of all health facilities in Sehatmandi are now fully functional. This breakdown in health services has a strong effect on the availability of basic and essential health care, as well as on emergency measures, the eradication of polio, and efforts to vaccinate against COVID-19.

Nine of the 37 COVID-19 hospitals have already closed, and all aspects of the response to COVID-19 have declined, including surveillance, testing, and vaccination. Prior to August this year, 2.2 million people were vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination rates have declined rapidly in recent weeks, while 1.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine remain unused in the country. Rapid action is needed to use these doses in the coming weeks and work to achieve the goal of at least vaccination 20% of the population by the end of the year based on national targets.

Afghanistan is one of two countries in the world where polio is still endemic. With only one case of wild poliovirus reported so far this year, compared to 56 in 2020, there has never been a better time to eradicate polio. However, the polio program will struggle with the response if the basic immunization infrastructure begins to crumble around it. Outbreaks of measles are also spreading. As access to all communities is no longer difficult, the WHO and partners are ready to launch a nationwide polio vaccination campaign and include measles and COVID vaccination in an integrated campaign.

The WHO emphasizes in particular the need for women to have access to education, health care and the health workforce. With fewer operating health facilities and fewer health workers applying for jobs, patients are reluctant to seek care. We are committed to working with partners to invest in the health education of girls and women, as well as to continue training health workers.

The WHO also continues to support a comprehensive trauma program that includes training, supplies, and equipment for 130 hospitals and 67 blood banks.

We reiterate the WHO’s long-term commitment to improving the health of all Afghans and remind all stakeholders of our collective commitments today and in the months and years ahead.

ABOUT THAT

The WHO plays a leading role in coordinating health actors in Afghanistan, including the Ministry of Public Health and more than 50 organizations. We were the first humanitarian agency to deliver medicines and medical supplies in August 2021. To date, eight separate shipments of nearly 170 metric tons of life-saving medical supplies have been delivered with the support of Qatar, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and the World Food Program.