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WHO: Afghanistan’s Mental Health Crisis Need Urgent Action

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced plans to convene a meeting on the sidelines of the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria, to address the mental health crisis and disorders caused by drug use in Afghanistan.

In a statement on Tuesday, March 19, WHO said that the high-level side event titled “Deepening Crisis: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Paralyzing Afghan Society,” will be hosted in collaboration with UNODC, EU, and Japan on Thursday, March 21.

The UN agency said that high-level speakers will participate in the panel discussion, aiming to shed light on the latest developments in Afghanistan’s mental health and substance use crisis. 

“Its purpose is to consider policies, responses and operational challenges, emphasize key priorities and needs, and advocate for urgent action,” WHO said. 

In Afghanistan’s war-torn society, deeply entrenched in patriarchal norms after enduring four decades of conflict, the UN estimated that one in two people, predominantly women, suffered from psychological distress even prior to the Taliban’s assumption of control in the country.

However, the situation has significantly deteriorated due to the Taliban’s heightened restrictions, particularly on the fundamental rights of women and girls, which have been tense for the past two years.

In a report released last year, UN Women revealed that the Taliban’s harsh measures imposed on women have exacerbated the mental health of women and girls across the country. Nearly 70% of them reported feelings of anxiety, isolation, and depression.

According to the report, the women are experiencing psychological issues such as insomnia, loss of hope and motivation, fear, aggression, isolation, increasingly isolated behavior, and suicidal thoughts.

The report highlighted that Afghan women are seeking support for initiatives that offer counseling and psychological services, as well as access to educational opportunities abroad for studying and working overseas.

On the other hand, Afghanistan’s impoverished population, particularly in rural areas, has historically turned to opium to alleviate pain and induce sleep. This reliance stems from medication shortages exacerbated by the healthcare crisis.

Opium remains readily available across Afghanistan, despite the Taliban’s ban on the cultivation, production, and trafficking of all illicit drugs in 2022. Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest producers of narcotics.

According to a UN report, Afghanistan is home to around 4 million drug users, constituting approximately 10% of its total population.

Meanwhile, the country’s healthcare system, which heavily relied on foreign aid, has been in freefall since the Taliban takeover. International donors immediately cut financial support and imposed sanctions on the Taliban government.

Over the past two and a half years, hundreds of health facilities have closed due to financial issues and Taliban restrictions on female staff.

Furthermore, international humanitarian organizations, including the WFP, have cut emergency assistance to millions of vulnerable people in Afghanistan due to a funding shortfall that has been unprecedented in the past two years.

WHO says that the upcoming round-table discussion presents a crucial opportunity for dialogue among global and national specialists, policymakers, and stakeholders to address critical gaps in access to and provision of mental health and substance disorder services in Afghanistan.