KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that since January, a total of 52,539 suspected measles cases and 237 associated deaths have been recorded in Afghanistan.
In its monthly update for September released on November 1, the WHO reported a total of 4,155 new suspected measles cases and 18 associated deaths for the month, marking a 28.2% increase compared to the previous month.
According to the report, the highest number of measles cases in September was recorded in Kabul (724 cases), followed by Balkh (545 cases) and Helmand (392 cases). At the district level, Kabul City reported the highest number of cases, followed by Mazar-i-Sharif and Lashkargah.
The WHO report indicates that in September, its health partners provided humanitarian health services to 854,095 people and vaccinated 129,931 individuals against measles across Afghanistan.
Despite ongoing vaccination campaigns, the significant increase in suspected measles cases and associated deaths highlights the challenges of controlling the disease’s spread and protecting vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.
Following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, Afghanistan’s health system has experienced a complete collapse, resulting in widespread shortages of medicine, equipment, and healthcare professionals in hospitals.
Since then, humanitarian agencies, including the WHO, have repeatedly warned of a severe health system crisis in Afghanistan. They say that this crisis poses a serious threat, putting millions at risk of not receiving essential healthcare and increasing the likelihood of infectious diseases and outbreaks.
According to the WHO report, nearly 18 million people in Afghanistan required health assistance this year, and to reach its target of 12.8 million people, it needs $367 million in funding.
