Unprecedented reductions in humanitarian aid and a worsening financial crisis have pushed Afghanistan’s healthcare system to the brink of total collapse.
Kabul 24: Speaking to Agence France-Presse in Kabul, Yasmine Praz Dessimoz, Head of Operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), expressed deep concern that despite overwhelming humanitarian needs, Afghanistan has slipped from the international community’s focus.
Emphasizing the urgent necessity for both national and international support, she appealed to world leaders not to abandon the Afghan population during this critical period.
A primary concern highlighted by the ICRC official involves ongoing restrictions on women’s education and employment, which pose a direct threat to the future of the healthcare sector.
While female staff currently remain working in healthcare support roles, Dessimoz warned of a looming generational gap. Without access to education for young women, the country will soon face a complete absence of qualified female doctors, nurses, and medical personnel to replace the current workforce.
Medical experts and local practitioners continue to stress the severity of the crisis. Dr. Najmusama Shafajo pointed to the existing shortage of female physicians, calling for better working conditions, increased incentives, and reduced workloads for current staff, alongside uninterrupted medical training for women. Similarly, healthcare worker Venus Shirzad urged the global community to maintain funding for maternal and child health, highlighting that educational opportunities for women in medicine are essential to preventing maternal and infant mortality. Dr. Madad Khan Danishwar also called on international organizations like the ICRC to actively persuade donor nations to sustain their vital assistance.
Global statistics further underscore the catastrophic scale of the downturn. Recent reports indicate the closure of hundreds of medical facilities across the country, including 100 specialized pediatric malnutrition clinics and nearly 150 health centers shut down due to severe budget shortfalls.
Additionally, Save the Children reported that approximately 600 health clinics have either suspended or fully halted operations. International bodies warn that these drastic reductions threaten to leave more than 3.7 million Afghan children suffering from acute malnutrition, amid growing criticism over the politicization of humanitarian aid.
