17 February 2026, Kabul, Afghanistan - The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded its malaria programme review mission in Afghanistan, stepping up efforts to reduce the country’s rising malaria cases. Each summer, heavy rains and rising temperatures create ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes. From June to November, malaria threatens more than three-quarters of Afghans living in high-risk eastern and south-eastern provinces. Climate change has intensified the problem, with hotter summers and heavier rainfall expanding mosquito habitats. A member of the WHO malaria mission examines samples under a microscope during a monitoring visit to a laboratory in Laghman Province. Photo credit: WHO Afghanistan After declining between 2018 and 2021, malaria cases began increasing again in 2022, peaking in 2024 and remaining high through 2025. Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar and Nuristan are among the most affected provinces where nearly every household faces malaria during the peak season....