Health
Majority of WHO-supported facilities in Afghanistan risk shutdown by June
As of 4 March 2025, 167 health facilities had shut down due to funding shortages, cutting off lifesaving medical care to 1.6 million people
The World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan is deeply concerned that funding shortages could force the closure of 80 percent of WHO-supported essential health care services across the country.
Millions of people, including vulnerable populations such as women, children, the elderly, the displaced and returnees, will be left without access to critical medical care, the organization said in a statement.
As of 4 March 2025, 167 health facilities had shut down due to funding shortages, cutting off lifesaving medical care to 1.6 million people across 25 provinces.
WHO warned that without urgent intervention, another 220 facilities could close by June 2025, leaving an additional 1.8 million Afghans without access to primary health care.
In the worst affected regions – Northern, Western and Northeastern Afghanistan – more than a third of health care centres have shut down, raising alarms about an imminent humanitarian crisis.
“These closures are not just numbers on a report, they represent mothers unable to give birth safely, children missing lifesaving vaccinations, entire communities left without protection from deadly disease outbreaks,” said WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Afghanistan Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador.
“The consequences will be measured in lives lost.”
Afghanistan is already battling multiple health emergencies, including outbreaks of measles, malaria, dengue, polio and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
Without functioning health facilities, efforts to control these diseases are severely hindered. Over 16 000 suspected measles cases, including 111 deaths, were reported in the first two months of 2025. With immunization rates at critically low levels (only 51% for the first dose of the measles vaccine and 37% for the second), children are at heightened risk of preventable illness and death.
While some donors continue to support Afghanistan’s health sector, funding has been significantly reduced as development aid priorities have shifted. The needs, however, remain immense, and current support is not enough to sustain critical health care services for millions of Afghans, WHO stated.
“This is not just about funding. It is a humanitarian emergency that threatens to undo years of progress in strengthening Afghanistan’s health system,” said Salvador.
“Every day that passes without our collective support brings more suffering, more preventable deaths and lasting damage to the country’s health care infrastructure.”
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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