KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has suspended several critical humanitarian programs in Afghanistan after US funding cuts, leaving hundreds of thousands without vital services.
In a report released Friday, the IRC said the halted programs include healthcare, vaccinations, malnutrition treatment, clean water, and protection services. The organization warned that over 700,000 people, including refugee and displaced families, are now cut off from essential aid.
Life-saving treatment for more than 15,000 young children suffering from malnutrition has also been disrupted.
“For 23 million Afghans, U.S. aid funding has been a critical lifeline—but that support is now in jeopardy,” the IRC said. “Funding cuts are already having devastating impacts on the country’s most vulnerable communities, especially women and children.”
Afghanistan is grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis, the IRC warned, with over 22.9 million people urgently needing assistance. Among them are more than 3 million children and 1.2 million pregnant or nursing mothers facing acute malnutrition.
The report highlights that more than 14 million people have limited or no access to healthcare. It warns that shortages of clean drinking water and basic sanitation are increasing the risk of disease outbreaks, potentially spreading across borders.
The IRC also said its community-based education programs, which operated in areas without formal schools, were forced to shut down in February 2025. Nearly 300,000 children have been left without access to education.
The organization warns that without renewed funding, countless families could fall deeper into hunger, illness, and poverty.
The United States had been Afghanistan’s largest donor until the Trump administration froze most foreign aid, disrupting critical food and health programs. In 2024, the U.S. provided $736 million in aid, mostly delivered through UN cash shipments.
Earlier, the World Food Programme (WFP) described the suspension of US aid to countries like Afghanistan as a “death sentence” for millions facing extreme hunger and starvation.
