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WHO strengthens public health response to substance use in Afghanistan
23 July 2024, Kabul, Afghanistan – Substance use and substance use disorders remain a significant public health burden in Afghanistan, devastating families and communities across the country. Substance use claims hundreds of lives each year, with substance dependence among women on the rise. Since 2023, WHO has played an important role in...
WHO and UN Women launch joint initiative to support women and children with substance use disorders in Afghanistan
17 July 2024, Kabul, Afghanistan – A new initiative to reintegrate vulnerable women with substance use disorders and their children into the community has been launched in Afghanistan. Women will be supported through a comprehensive package of protection services, substance use disorder treatment and mental health services. Afghanistan has had a...
Personal tragedy turns a polio vaccine refusal into a vaccine advocate
7 July 2024 – My name is Lalgul, and I am the father of Ghafar. We live in south-eastern Afghanistan. I was away from home when my son got sick. I returned and found Ghafur paralysed. He was one and a half years old. It started with a high fever, then his right leg became paralysed. My wife and I took him to the district hospital, and he...
WHO enhances health care access in underserved Afghan provinces
Balghali Bala and Payeen Primary Health Care Centre in Samangan province, Afghanistan. Photo credit: WHO26 June 2024, Kabul, Afghanistan – Over 700 000 people have benefited from medical support provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan to 113 health facilities strategically located in hard-to-reach areas across 15 Afghan...
Empowered by RCCE campaign, Herat mobilizer saves lives
Abdul Rahman Mansouri delivers health messages about CCHF prevention at an animal market in Pashtun Zarghun district, Herat. Photo credit: WHO/M. Islami26 June 2024, Kabul, Afghanistan – In remote areas of Afghanistan, infectious diseases continue to pose a daily threat to communities with limited access to health care and preventive measures. Of...
Breaking the cycle: from substance use to recovery
Zainab at the drug addiction treatment centre for women and children, Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo credit: WHO/Z. Safari Zainab*, a 32-year-old mother from Kabul, found herself trapped in a nightmare of substance use that threatened to destroy her family. Her world revolved around the toxic grip of drugs, a legacy her husband passed on to their 4 sons and...
It’s important to listen to your family and get help when you’re facing a challenge
Mohammad at the national Mental Health Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo credit: WHO/Zakarya Safari 11 June 2024 – Mohammad*, a 23-year-old from Paktia province, Afghanistan, has faced significant challenges over the past 3 years due to mental illness. It began with a loss of interest in socializing with friends, leading him to seek solace in...
High-level GPEI delegation visits Pakistan to discuss polio eradication strategies with Government of Pakistan
Islamabad, May 4, 2024 –A high-level delegation from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has concluded a landmark four-day visit to Pakistan at a critical juncture in the fight against polio. Pakistan is one of only two countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, where wild poliovirus is still endemic, making it central to the work...
WHO swiftly delivers 7 metric tonnes of medical supplies to flood-hit northern Afghanistan
The catastrophic floods caused extensive damage, including to health facilities, as shown in this image of Lata Band health facility, taken on 11 May 2024. Photo credit: WHO/WHO Afghanistan 12 May 2024, Kabul, Afghanistan – WHO Afghanistan has swiftly responded to the flooding crisis in northern Afghanistan by delivering 7 metric tonnes of...
WHO Afghanistan opens new malnutrition ward in Kabul’s Khair Khana Hospital
12 May 2024, Kabul, Afghanistan – A new inpatient ward for severe acute malnutrition has been created at Khair Khana Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, thanks to the support of WHO Afghanistan. WHO has also supported the new ward in the 102-bed hospital with medical equipment, medical furniture, and essential supplies like medicines, renewable...
