Demand For Health Services Rising In Afghanistan, Says UN
The World Health Organization said health needs in Afghanistan have increased as winter conditions worsen, with growing demand for medical services across the country.
The World Health Organization said health needs in Afghanistan have increased as winter conditions worsen, with growing demand for medical services across the country.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s director-general, said on Friday that over the past three months the agency has distributed 223 metric tonnes of essential medicines and medical supplies to 193 health facilities in 25 provinces.
He said that with support from the European Union and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, more than 200,000 people are receiving assistance in areas where access to health care has been disrupted by heavy snowfall.
According to the WHO, the medicines and equipment are being used to treat respiratory infections, measles, malnutrition and other urgent health conditions. Tedros said the agency remains committed to working towards universal access to health care in Afghanistan.
Despite the additional aid, health needs remain acute. Reports indicate that current assistance is insufficient to sustain basic health services for millions of Afghans, with about one-quarter of the population lacking access to health facilities near their homes.
Assessments by humanitarian organisations cite a shortage of health centres in rural areas, a lack of doctors and health workers, and limited transport options as key barriers to accessing health care.
According to aid groups, more than half of Afghan families do not have access to basic health services, a gap that has put children’s health at particular risk, especially in remote and rural communities.
