Afghanistan crisis: Healthcare needs grow as humanitarian crisis worsens, says WHO

The WHO said that more than half of all children under age five are malnourished. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR also expressed concern over the prevailing humanitarian needs within Afghanistan. 

New Delhi: The World Health Organization on Saturday (August 21, 2021) raised alarm over the healthcare situation in Afghanistan. The WHO said one-third of the population is facing acute hunger after the Taliban took over the country leaving countless people vulnerable. The WHO said that more than half of all children under age five are malnourished. According to the agency, the current drought is expected to worsen an already dire situation. "Continuity of health services must continue without interruption across the country, with a focus on ensuring women have access to female health-workers...Most major health facilities are functional. And this is based on provincial-level field monitoring. Health workers have been called to return to or to remain at their posts, including female health staff," said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic.