Kabul/Cairo, 7 November 2021 – An aircraft carrying around 7 metric tonnes of life-saving medicines and supplies from WHO landed in Kabul on 4 November at 11:30 local time. 

The shipment was delivered in collaboration with the operations and logistic teams of Qatar Airways and the Government of the State of Qatar. This is the fourth flight carrying WHO supplies to arrive in Afghanistan from Doha since 30 August 2021. 

The supplies include medicines for the treatment of 5000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, diarrhoea, pneumonia, upper respiratory infections, and other conditions. 

“Health needs in Afghanistan are greater than ever before, and we are moving quickly to address shortages in medical supplies to keep life-saving health services running. Children are the tragic victims of the country’s failing health system. 

WHO is grateful for the support of the Government of Qatar to ensure that they have access to the life-saving medicines they need to survive and thrive. This show of ongoing solidarity is a concrete demonstration of our regional vision in action: health for all people, with the support all people,” said Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. 

Since 30 August, 4 flights from Qatar to Afghanistan have delivered a total of 60 metric tonnes of WHO supplies, which are enough to cover the urgent health needs of almost 1.5 million people. 

“The State of Qatar commends WHO for sending urgent life-saving aid to Afghanistan in these difficult times. As Qatar continues to support Afghanistan through airlifting aid facilitating travel, it urges the international community to continue providing urgent aid to Afghanistan, especially with the spread of new COVID-19 variants and the winter season approaching,” said His Excellency Dr Mutlaq AlQahtani, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Counterterrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution.