Afghanistan: WHO and partners provide vital health care services to returnees in Torkham
19 May 2025, Kabul, Afghanistan – The continued influx of returnees from neighbouring countries is exacerbating existing public health issues in Afghanistan at a time when the country faces a complex array of challenges, including widespread population displacement, drought, food insecurity, multiple disease outbreaks and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over 100 000 Afghans were forced to return from Pakistan in April, most of them women and children. Returnees’ urgent needs include water, food, medical support and protection coverage. Returnees experience a wide range of health and psychological problems, including acute respiratory infections, acute watery diarrhoea, malnutrition, skin diseases, trauma and mental health problems.
WHO and its partners are providing vital health care services to returnees at the Torkham crossing. The Organization is supporting the Torkham Trauma Centre and 20-bed Hospital. It has deployed 3 mobile health teams to provide 24-hour health care services and 2 surveillance support teams in Torkham. In addition, 2 Public Health Team screening teams and 72 vaccinators, including 14 females, have been assigned to Zero Point, the line where Pakistan becomes Afghanistan, and 10 female vaccinators to the Torkham returnee camp to provide OPV/IPV vaccines.
