United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan has said that the agency has supported 675 health facilities in nine provinces across the country in the first three months of this year amid a crumbling healthcare system.
UNICEF announced the aid on Twitter, indicating that more than five million people benefitted from the agency’s “quality health services” in these facilities, while millions more remain in dire need of assistance.
The aid was funded by the Asian Development Bank, the agency added.
The healthcare system in Afghanistan crumbled significantly when the Taliban took over the country in August 2021 amid the fall of the previous government and a chaotic US withdrawal. Thousands of health professionals and workers fled to safer countries, and the lack of funding has left many healthcare centers dysfunctional.
According to the Journal of Global Health, many people continue to die due to inaccessibility to basic medical care across the country. There are only 9.4 healthcare employees per 10,000 patients in Afghanistan, compared to the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of 22.8 workers.
The journal suggests that political turmoil, catastrophic natural disasters, and the lack of international support have collectively contributed to the collapse of Afghanistan’s healthcare system. Women and children are particularly at risk.
