According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a staggering 17.6 million people in Afghanistan are in need of health assistance.
“Of the 17.6 million people in need of healthcare assistance in Afghanistan in 2023, partners have prioritized reaching 15.6 million. To effectively do so, they need $450 million to provide healthcare services, outbreak response, maternal and child health care, and services for people with disabilities,” OCHA said on Thursday.
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The Afghan economy collapsed following the US withdrawal and the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, which has pushed the country into a humanitarian crisis. To make matters worse, the recent ban on women aid workers by the Taliban has forced many humanitarian aid organisations to suspend their operations across the country, further exacerbating the situation.
According to the UN, 97% of Afghanistan’s population lives in poverty, and 28 million people are dependent on aid for survival, with 6 million on the verge of famine.
