The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for stronger efforts to protect Afghans from the harmful effects of tobacco, warning that tobacco use remains a major public health challenge across the country.

Marking World No Tobacco Day on May 31, WHO Representative in Afghanistan Dr. Edwin Ceniza Salvador said protecting people from tobacco-related harm is a shared responsibility and essential for building a healthier future.

In a message released on the occasion, WHO said the tobacco industry continues to conceal the dangers of its products through misleading tactics, including the use of sweet flavors that are particularly attractive to young people.

According to WHO Afghanistan, one in four adults in the country uses tobacco, with Naswar remaining the most common form of consumption. The organization also expressed concern over growing tobacco use among Afghan youth, especially adolescent boys.

Health experts warn that both smoking and smokeless tobacco products can lead to serious illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disorders. Early tobacco use among young people significantly increases the risk of long-term addiction and chronic health complications.

WHO noted that Afghanistan continues to face challenges due to limited public awareness and the absence of effective national tobacco control policies.

Data from the Tobacco Atlas indicates that more than 9,000 people die each year in Afghanistan from tobacco-related diseases. The economic impact is also substantial, with the annual cost of tobacco use estimated at more than 9.2 billion Afghanis, or approximately $130 million.

Public health authorities continue to emphasize awareness campaigns, stronger regulations and smoke-free environments as key measures to reduce tobacco consumption and protect future generations.

Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), says millions of civilians in Iran, including Afghan refugees, have been severely affected by the recent conflict, which has left widespread destruction and deepened humanitarian needs.

In a post on X, Egeland said he had returned to Iran and witnessed the impact of the war on both Iranian families and Afghan refugees.

“I am back in Iran where millions of Iranian civilians and Afghan refugees have had their lives shattered by the recent war,” he wrote.

According to Egeland, tens of thousands of civilian homes have been damaged or destroyed, while hundreds of schools and health facilities have also been affected. He added that damage to critical civilian infrastructure has further worsened humanitarian conditions.

The NRC chief said an estimated 3.2 million people were forced to flee their homes during the conflict, including both Iranian citizens and Afghan refugees. Others, he noted, were unable to leave and remained trapped in areas close to airstrikes.

Egeland said thousands of people were killed or injured during the fighting, while around 17 million students were unable to attend classes in person.

He praised NRC staff in Iran for continuing to provide assistance to those affected but warned that humanitarian efforts are facing serious financial constraints.

“My NRC colleagues here are working hard to provide essential support. But we are severely overstretched and underfunded,” he said.

The head of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International has warned that attacks on hospitals and healthcare facilities in conflict zones are increasing, despite global efforts to strengthen protections for medical missions following the bombing of an MSF hospital in Afghanistan a decade ago.

Speaking during a special session at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Laura Leyser, Secretary General of MSF International, recalled the international response to the 2015 U.S. airstrike on an MSF-run trauma hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, which prompted widespread condemnation and led to the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2286 on the protection of medical personnel and facilities in armed conflicts.

“There was a big outcry. There was an investigation,” Leyser said. “What has happened since, though, is not a reduction of these cases but, to the contrary, an increasing number of attacks on hospitals and clinics.”

Leyser said more than 1,300 attacks on healthcare facilities were recorded in conflict situations worldwide last year, adding that around 80 percent of those incidents were carried out by state actors.

She said the growing number of attacks has created fear among healthcare workers and humanitarian personnel operating in war zones, making it increasingly difficult to provide lifesaving assistance to civilians.

“This is the reality that civilians face on the ground, and it is the reality that humanitarian organizations such as ours face as well,” she said.

Leyser noted that medical workers in conflict areas often continue their work despite severe shortages of supplies and constant security threats. She said many healthcare staff are afraid to report to work because of the risks posed by ongoing violence.

The MSF chief called on governments and military leaders to ensure greater respect for international humanitarian law and to strengthen accountability for violations.

Her remarks came during discussions involving senior military and security officials from Pakistan, China, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Korea and the International Committee of the Red Cross, who gathered at the Shangri-La Dialogue to examine challenges to global security, including regional conflicts, military competition, crisis management and emerging technologies.

Leyser urged participants to reflect on ways to uphold the minimum standards of international humanitarian law and reduce impunity for attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel during armed conflicts.