The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported an increase in suspected measles cases and related deaths in Afghanistan this year, with 36,618 cases and 160 deaths recorded.
In a report published on Thursday, July 11, the WHO highlighted that among the suspected measles cases recorded, 80.1% were children under the age of five, and 45.3% were female.
“The trend in 2024 is higher than that reported in 2023 and the 2-year average before the 2021-2022 outbreak,” the UN health agency said. “During week 27-2024, a total of 1,597 suspected cases and 13 associated deaths were reported. All reported deaths were under-five children and 7 of them were females,” it added.
The report indicates that Khost province has the highest cumulative incidence of suspected measles per 10,000 populations (32.2%), followed by Balkh (23.0%), Samangan (18.8%), and Jowzjan (17.4%) provinces.
Following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, Afghanistan’s health system has experienced a total collapse, resulting in widespread shortages of medicine, equipment, and healthcare professionals in hospitals.
Since then, the WHO has consistently warned about a severe health system crisis in Afghanistan. The organization says that this crisis poses a serious threat, putting millions of people at risk of not receiving essential healthcare assistance and increasing the likelihood of infectious diseases and outbreaks.
The UN reports that over 18 million people in Afghanistan depend on humanitarian health assistance. To provide healthcare services for 12.8 million individuals in 2024, the organization has requested $367 million in funding.
Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies in Afghanistan, including those supporting the health sector, are experiencing one of the most severe funding shortfalls in recent years. These significant financial gaps have led many organizations to reduce or even suspend their operations.
Last year, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) halted funding for 25 hospitals across Afghanistan due to financial shortfall. In March, the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA), which had been supporting health facilities throughout the country, ceased its operations after the Taliban demanded the end of all Swedish activities in Afghanistan following the burning of Quran copies outside Stockholm mosque.
