Afghanistan's health care system is 'on the brink of collapse': WHO

Afghanistan's health care system is 'on the brink of collapse': WHO

On this picture taken on March 20, 2019, an Afghan well being employee administers a polio vaccine to a toddler within the Kandahar province.

Javed Tanveer | AFP | Getty Photos

Afghanistan's health-care system is "getting ready to collapse" as a scarcity of funding left hundreds of well being amenities struggling to purchase medical provides and pay their workers, the World Well being Group stated Wednesday.

"Until pressing motion is taken, the nation faces an imminent humanitarian disaster," WHO Director-Common Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Regional Director for the Jap Mediterranean Ahmed Al-Mandhari stated in an announcement following a go to to Kabul, Afghanistan's capital metropolis.

The Taliban, an ultraconservative militant group, seized energy in Afghanistan final month because the U.S. withdrew its navy presence within the nation. Afghanistan is closely depending on worldwide funding, however many donors have suspended help to the nation whereas the U.S. froze its Afghan monetary property.

WHO stated diminished donations to Afghanistan's largest well being mission, Sehatmandi, left well being amenities with out medicines, medical provides, gasoline, and salaries for medical employees.

Sehatmandi is the principle supply of well being care within the nation — it operates 2,309 medical amenities throughout Afghanistan that benefitted over 30 million folks in 2020.

"Many of those amenities have now diminished operations or shut down, forcing well being suppliers to make exhausting selections on who to save lots of and who to let die," the assertion stated, noting that solely 17% of the amenities had been absolutely practical.

Covid-19 response

Issues in Afghanistan's health-care system have affected the nation's response to the continuing Covid-19 pandemic.

"9 of 37 COVID-19 hospitals have already closed, and all facets of the COVID-19 response have dropped, together with surveillance, testing, and vaccination," WHO stated.

Covid vaccination charges have "decreased quickly" in latest weeks, whereas 1.8 million vaccine doses remained unused, in line with the assertion.

United Nations Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) members label the cargo containing Astrazeneca Covid-19 coronavirus vaccines donated by the French authorities after it arrived on the Kabul airport in Kabul on August 8, 2021.

Wakil Kohsar | AFP | Getty Photos

"Swift motion is required to make use of these doses within the coming weeks and work in direction of reaching the purpose of vaccinating a minimum of 20% of the inhabitants by the tip of the 12 months based mostly on nationwide targets," stated WHO.

Solely round 1.1% of the Afghan inhabitants has been absolutely vaccinated, in line with newest knowledge compiled by on-line repository Our World in Knowledge.

Different emergencies

Along with Covid, Afghanistan faces different well being emergencies, stated WHO.

The nation is one in all solely two on the planet the place polio continues to be prevalent, stated the company. Circumstances of untamed poliovirus circumstances have fallen to only one this 12 months from 56 in 2020, however efforts to eradicate the illness will undergo because of issues dealing with the Afghan well being system, defined WHO.

In the meantime, measles outbreaks are spreading in Afghanistan, the company added.

The United Nations stated Wednesday it is releasing $45 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to "assist stop Afghanistan's health-care system from collapse."

"Permitting Afghanistan's health-care supply system to collapse can be disastrous. Folks throughout the nation can be denied entry to major well being care resembling emergency caesarian sections and trauma care," stated Martin Griffiths, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency reduction coordinator.

Influence on ladies

Issues in Afghanistan's health-care system pose a selected threat to ladies within the nation.

With fewer health-care amenities working and fewer feminine medical employees reporting to work, feminine sufferers are hesitant to hunt medical consideration, stated WHO.

Whereas ladies within the public well being sector have been requested to return to their jobs, many are understandably afraid of coping with Taliban militants, particularly now that that there isn't a governing system in place to supply them any safety.

Samira Hamidi

Humanitarian Campaigner, Amnesty Worldwide

Samira Hamidi, Amnesty Worldwide's South Asia campaigner, stated that girls within the nation really feel insecure as they do not belief the Taliban.

"Whereas ladies within the public well being sector have been requested to return to their jobs, many are understandably afraid of coping with Taliban militants, particularly now that that there isn't a governing system in place to supply them any safety," she instructed CNBC.

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