Health
Child malnutrition cases rise nearly 50% in Afghanistan as hunger hits record levels
The number of dangerously malnourished children admitted to Save the Children’s mobile health clinics in Afghanistan has increased by 47% since January this year, with some babies dying before managing to receive any treatment, the children’s charity said on Monday.
Demand for malnutrition treatment services has surged in recent months as families struggle to cope with Afghanistan’s worst hunger crisis on record.
In January, Save the Children’s 57 mobile health teams admitted about 2,500 malnourished children for treatment. By September, that number had jumped to around 4,270 children admitted by 66 teams, according to newly released data.
Save the Children’s Country Director in Afghanistan, Chris Nyamandi, said:“Humanitarian organizations like Save the Children are stretched to the absolute limit trying to stop children dying from hunger every day in Afghanistan. But the truth is, with so many children facing life-threatening levels of hunger, we simply do not have the resources to save them all.
“Every day we’re faced with the heart-wrenching decision – which children do we save? It’s outrageous and horrifying to think that international leaders have the power to save these children’s lives – by working to solve the economic crisis and reinstating humanitarian funding and long-term development assistance that was withdrawn when the Taliban (IEA) retook control – but they have been too slow to find solutions and now children are dying as a result.
“Humanitarian organizations have been sounding the alarm on Afghanistan for more than a year now. It’s time the world stopped ignoring this catastrophic crisis and took action before many more children lose their lives.”
Experts had hoped to see a drop in hunger levels in Afghanistan during the recent summer harvest season, but the ongoing drought has led to failed crops and harvests have been much smaller than normal, forcing many rural families to sell land and livestock to buy food to feed their children.
The other major driver of the food crisis – the collapse of the country’s economy – has caused unemployment, poverty and food prices to skyrocket, with many families now only surviving on bread and water for weeks at a time.
Humanitarian organizations have provided vast amounts of life-saving food, but the needs are so high that 50% of Afghanistan’s population is still facing extreme hunger, with 6 million children and adults – nearly one eighth of the population – one step away from famine, the organization reported.
Save the Children doctors say they are overwhelmed with malnourished children – especially young girls who are often deprioritised.
Since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) regained control in August 2021, Save the Children has scaled up its response to support the increasing number of children in need and is delivering health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene and food security and livelihoods support.
Save the Children has reached more than 3.3 million people, including 1.8 million children since September 2021.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, met with the head of the World Health Organization in Afghanistan, Edwin Ceniza Salvador, to discuss expanding healthcare services and strengthening coordination in the country.
According to a statement issued Tuesday by the Ministry of Public Health, the meeting was attended by officials from the WHO and other representatives and focused on key health sector priorities and areas of mutual cooperation.
Participants discussed the expansion of health services across Afghanistan, capacity-building initiatives for healthcare workers, and the development of cancer-related services. They also reviewed operational coordination, transparency in the delivery of health services, and preparations for upcoming health-related meetings.
During the meeting, Jalali emphasized the importance of aligning health projects and services with the ministry’s national policies and strategic documents.
He stressed that all health initiatives should be implemented based on the priorities and needs identified by the Ministry of Public Health.
The minister also urged WHO officials to enhance transparency and strengthen coordination with the ministry while taking practical steps to improve the quality of health services and ensure broader public access to healthcare across the country.
For his part, Salvador reaffirmed the WHO’s commitment to maintaining close cooperation with the Afghan health ministry and to delivering essential health services in accordance with the ministry’s policies and priorities.
Health
Afghanistan faces acute shortage of specialist doctors, officials urge ethics and expansion of health services
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, said the ministry is making sustained and intensive efforts to address the gap and expand access to healthcare services in remote and underserved areas of the country.
Afghanistan is continuing to face a serious shortage of specialist doctors, health officials said during the graduation ceremony of specialist physicians from the General Directorate of Medical Specialization for the year 1404.
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, said the ministry is making sustained and intensive efforts to address the gap and expand access to healthcare services in remote and underserved areas of the country.
According to Jalali, hospitals are still absent across 318 districts nationwide. He added that initial construction work for hospitals has been completed in 100 of these areas, stressing that strengthening health infrastructure and training qualified specialists remain top priorities for the ministry.
Jalali also called on doctors and health officials to uphold their professional and religious responsibilities by treating patients with compassion, dignity, and good conduct. He emphasized that medical practice should not be driven by material gain, but by the pursuit of public service and the well-being of the people.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Hamdullah Nomani, Minister of Communications and Information Technology noted a decline in public trust toward some medical professionals, saying that despite the presence of many committed and ethical doctors, the behavior of a few motivated solely by financial gain has undermined patient confidence. He urged newly graduated specialists to serve with sincerity and restore public trust in Afghanistan’s healthcare system.
Meanwhile, Abdul Wali Sadiqi, the financial and administrative deputy minister of public health, advised graduates to remain committed to their profession, fulfill their responsibilities honestly, and serve the public with dedication. He stressed that efforts in national service should match those made in personal affairs.
In addition, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, head of the National Examinations Authority, highlighted that humans carry two fundamental responsibilities: worship of Allah and preservation of health, underscoring the vital role doctors play in safeguarding public health.
Health sector experts say Afghanistan now needs skilled and professional medical personnel more than ever, calling for increased investment in specialist training and healthcare infrastructure to meet the country’s growing needs.
Naemullah Ayoubi, Director General of Drug and Health Products Regulation at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, has departed for Turkey on an official visit accompanied by a technical delegation.
The Ministry of Public Health said the delegation will hold meetings with officials from Turkey’s pharmaceutical regulatory authority and discuss a number of key issues related to the regulation of medicines and health products.
The delegation is also scheduled to visit several pharmaceutical manufacturing factories in Turkey.
According to the ministry, the visit aims to strengthen coordination between the two countries in the production and import of medicines, in order to ensure the availability of high-quality and affordable pharmaceuticals for people in Afghanistan in both the short and long term.
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