KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the suspension of aid from the United States is having severe and widespread consequences on humanitarian operations across Afghanistan.
In a report on Thursday (May 22), OCHA stated that by late February, at least 188 health facilities had closed across the country, disrupting services for an estimated 1.6 million people.
The report also noted that some 1,700 female health workers, along with demining staff and contractors, have lost their jobs as a result of the funding pause.
OCHA stressed that US aid in 2021 and 2022 played a critical role in preventing famine, especially by bolstering food security. In 2024, the United States provided $735.7 million, accounting for 47 percent of all humanitarian funding, making it Afghanistan’s largest single donor.
Thanks to US support and contributions from other donors, humanitarian agencies were able to provide at least one form of assistance to 20.4 million people in 2024. Of those, 3.4 million received three forms of aid, with women making up 29 percent of all recipients.
However, OCHA warned that unless US funding resumes, significantly fewer people will be reached in 2025.
The suspension of foreign assistance came after Donald Trump returned to office as US president. Until then, the US had been Afghanistan’s largest aid contributor.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) also raised alarms, stating that 6.3 million people, mostly women and girls, are losing access to essential healthcare due to budget shortfalls. Hundreds of rural health centers and mobile clinics are now at risk of closure, the agency said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) echoed those concerns. It warned earlier that 80 percent of the health facilities it supports in Afghanistan may shut down without additional funding. Since the suspension of US aid in February, operations at 202 health centers have already been halted.
WHO further cautioned that unless urgent funding is secured, another 220 facilities could be forced to close by June 2025, leaving up to 1.8 million more Afghans without access to basic health services.
