Photo: European Union

EU Dispatches Nearly 100 Tons of Emergency Medical Supplies to Afghanistan

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The European Union (EU) has sent 98 tons of emergency medical supplies to aid children recovering from malnutrition and people affected by recent floods across Afghanistan.

In a statement on Sunday, June 30, Janez Lenarčič, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, announced the shipment, emphasizing that people in Central and Northern Afghanistan are still need help to recover from the recent floods.

He highlighted that since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the EU has sent 1,750 tons of aid through 36 flights to assist the impoverished people in the country.

Meanwhile, Raffaella Iodice, the EU Chargée d’Affaires to Afghanistan, welcomed the new shipment in a social media post, saying that it will aid children in recovering from malnutrition and treat patients injured by the floods in Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the humanitarian situation in the country has significantly worsened, making it one of the world’s most critical crises. According to the UN, around 23.7 million people require humanitarian assistance this year.

The country is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes, avalanches, landslides, and drought. Decades of war, coupled with extreme weather events associated with climate change, have left Afghanistan among the poorest nations in the world.

The recent unprecedented rainfall followed by flash floods, particularly in northern and central parts of the country, has caused widespread destruction, exacerbating the plight of the local population.

Over 300 people have been killed and dozens more injured as a result of the recent natural disaster. Survivors have been left without homes, land, or sources of livelihood.

Women and children face even greater challenges due to the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s education, employment, and mobility.

According to Save the Children, nearly 6.5 million children in Afghanistan—six out of ten—will face crisis or emergency levels of hunger in 2024. Additionally, nearly 3 million children under the age of 5 will suffer from acute malnutrition this year.

On the other hand, humanitarian agencies have been grappling with severe funding shortfalls in recent years. According to the UN, only 22.8% of the $3.01 billion requested for Afghanistan this year has been funded so far.