Officials at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul have report a rise in air pollution-related diseases among children in recent months.
Asadullah Abdul Rahimzai, the head of the hospital’s statistics department, says that in the last solar month, 186 children died due to air pollution-related diseases. He adds, “In winter, air pollution-related diseases increase, particularly pneumonia, asthma, and other illnesses. In Qaws (December 2024), we had 18,682 patients, of which 3,800 were hospitalized.”
On the other hand, some parents at the hospital are complaining about the lack of access to healthcare services, especially the shortage of beds.
Abdul Hakim, a Kabul resident whose 10-year-old child is hospitalized with pneumonia at the facility, says that two children are sharing a bed. “There is overcrowding, and one or two patients are placed in each bed. We want the hospital to increase the number of beds so that diseases don’t spread from one child to another.”
Another Kabul resident, Hafizullah, says, “Two or three children are in each bed. Our request is that the children be properly cared for and that healthcare services improve.”
The use of low-quality fuel in vehicles, burning coal, plastic, and rubber in residential homes are significant sources of air pollution in Kabul.
Ahmad Khalid Temor Poya, a doctor at the Children’s Hospital, explains that air pollution has the most harmful impact on children. He emphasizes that to resolve the issue, pollutants must be eliminated. “Parents should not dress their children in thin clothing, and they should wear masks when outside the home. With these measures, we can prevent children from contracting diseases caused by air pollution.”
Previously, the National Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had implemented a six-month winter plan aimed at reducing air pollution in Kabul and four other central provinces.
