KABUL (SW) – In 2023, an estimated 28.3 million people (two thirds of Afghanistan’s population) will need urgent humanitarian assistance, a 16% increase from the 24.3 million people needing assistance in 2022, warned the World Health Organization.
As for health, it is projected that more than 17.6 million people (53% children) will require humanitarian health assistance in 2023, with five million living in urban areas and 12.6 million in rural areas. There have been major barriers to access to healthcare services in rural areas while, at the same time, increased displacement and migration to cities have overburdened the existing health services.
Despite the complex humanitarian situation, which has doubled health threats to the people, the WHO has said it will continue to stay and deliver humanitarian services in the country, in collaboration
with its health partners. The aim of the Health Cluster for 2023 is to reach the 15.6 million people in need of health assistance.
In early January 2023, an outbreak of acute respiratory infection (ARI)/pneumonia cases
was reported in Pamir e Kalan Village, a very remote settlement in the Wakhan District of Badakhshan Province where around 700 people reside. By the end of January, there were 134 ARI cases, reported in Wakhan district including 17 associated deaths (of which seven were children under five years old).
The WHO and its health partners, in coordination with health authorities, immediately responded to this surge of ARI cases, including active case finding, case management, delivering necessary medicine and supplies, laboratory diagnosis and risk communication.
In January 2023, about 3,125 children were admitted to the in-patient department with severe acute malnutrition, a 38.3% increase compared to January 2022.
Responding to the recent ban on women to work in non-government organizations (NGOs) issued in December 2022, the WHO Health Cluster continues to monitor the situation and analyze the impact on health care service delivery. It said challenges remain in securing and transporting female staff and maintaining compliant
work environments, which require separate transportation, office spaces, and permission for field visits.
ENDS
