After decades of instability, drought, and natural disasters, Afghanistan remains in the midst of a crushing humanitarian crisis. With poor or limited access to healthcare and food, millions of Afghans are at risk of malnutrition and disease outbreaks. Women and girls are particularly affected due to the rollback of their rights, which limits their access to healthcare, education, and freedom of movement.
Despite the ongoing crisis, Afghan health professionals, including thousands of female workers, defy daily challenges to provide critical healthcare. With support from humanitarian agencies and donor partners, doctors, nurses, midwives, community health workers, vaccinators, and others bring life-saving care to millions of Afghans.
UNICEF, along with its partners, supports Afghanistan’s health professionals by covering the operating costs of over 2,400 healthcare facilities, providing medical supplies, and paying the salaries of approximately 27,000 healthcare professionals, nearly 10,000 of whom are women. In the first half of this year alone, their tireless work has helped nearly 20 million Afghans receive health and nutrition services.
However, healthcare needs in Afghanistan continue to rise, and the recent alert issued by the World Health Organization emphasizes the urgent need for greater investment in healthcare services. While humanitarian organizations play a vital role, they cannot be a substitute for a well-functioning public health system. To ensure the health and well-being of millions of Afghan children, the country urgently needs a sustainable healthcare system that meets their needs.
In the past two years, funding from various donors has helped UNICEF, WHO, and ICRC sustain the health system. However, this is not a long-term solution. Afghanistan requires ongoing investment and support to maintain and strengthen its healthcare services provision.
Source: UNICEF
