KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has enabled more than 6.5 million people across Afghanistan to access essential healthcare services by supporting local medical facilities, the agency said on Tuesday.
According to its situation report for May, UNICEF delivered these services through a network of 2,393 fixed health facilities and 16 mobile health teams that operate in all 34 provinces of the country.
The UN agency said 25,738 children suffering from severe and moderate acute malnutrition received treatment during the reporting period.
UNICEF also expanded access to education via community-based initiatives, reaching 42,987 children — 60% of whom are girls.
In addition, the organization provided cash assistance to 20,821 families in four provinces. The support benefited 84,988 children and 1,114 people with disabilities.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system has been under severe pressure since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. International sanctions, aid cuts, and a protracted humanitarian emergency have left millions with limited or no access to basic medical care, food, and clean drinking water.
Hundreds of health facilities have already closed due to a lack of funding, with many more at imminent risk of shutting down, UN agencies have warned. Outbreaks of disease, coupled with widespread hunger and malnutrition, continue to threaten lives across the country.
The UN agencies estimate that 14 million people need health assistance in 2026. To address half of that need, they requested $190.8 million.
The broader humanitarian situation remains dire. Nearly half of Afghanistan’s population, around 22 million people, requires some form of assistance this year, according to UN figures. A humanitarian appeal for $1.7 billion had received only 16% of the required funding as of early June.
Aid agencies continue to warn that without substantial additional resources, they will struggle to meet the escalating needs of Afghan communities, particularly vulnerable children and families.
