17 August 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new alert calling for increased investment in health care service provision in Afghanistan, particularly in underserved areas that are severely under-resourced and vulnerable due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
After decades of instability, exacerbated by severe drought and natural disasters, Afghanistan is currently facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis, with millions of people living with poor or no access to health and food, putting them at severe risk of malnutrition and disease outbreaks. The revised Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023 reveals an alarming increase in the number of people in urgent need of humanitarian aid, with 28.8 million people requiring immediate assistance, up from 18.4 million prior to August 2021.
The WHO alert highlights the dire consequences that will result if underfunding continues in Afghanistan's health care system. WHO will require an additional US$ 125 million in funding to continue to sustain basic health needs for the remainder of 2023.
Read more about the call for donor support
Alert on Afghanistan's humanitarian health emergency