Health officials in Daikundi say that nearly half of the province’s community health posts in remote areas have been forced to close in recent months due to declining foreign humanitarian assistance.
According to local sources, 56 community health posts had been operating in Daikundi’s remote districts, but 21 have now shut down after international funding was reduced. One health worker said the facilities were previously supported by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
Jawad Hakimi, appointed by the Taliban as Daikundi’s director of public health, discussed the closures during a meeting with Abdul Wali Haqqani, the Taliban deputy minister for health service delivery. In a Facebook post, Hakimi said they also talked about the lack of standard ambulances and shortages of essential medical equipment.
Earlier, the World Health Organization announced that due to the complete halt of U.S. funding, 420 health centres across Afghanistan had suspended operations. According to WHO, the shutdown has affected 3.05 million people in 30 provinces.
