12 May 2024, Kabul, Afghanistan – A new inpatient ward for severe acute malnutrition has been created at Khair Khana Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, thanks to the support of WHO Afghanistan.
WHO has also supported the new ward in the 102-bed hospital with medical equipment, medical furniture, and essential supplies like medicines, renewable medical kits, and milk preparation items.
“This new severe acute malnutrition treatment ward at Khair Khana Hospital in Kabul is a fundamental step in our objective to combat malnutrition among Afghanistan’s vulnerable populations, particularly children,” said Dr Jamshed Tanoli, acting WHO Representative to Afghanistan. “Through this initiative, we are doubling our efforts to deliver essential nutritional health assistance within our existing resources, ultimately aiming to save lives and improve child mortality rates.”
Afghanistan’s people continue to endure persistent threats of food scarcity and malnutrition. The country is experiencing one of the most severe levels of food insecurity, affecting 15.8 million people. This critical situation has been made worse by drought-like conditions for 3 years running. As of April 2024, an estimated 2.5 million children aged under 5 years are suffering from malnutrition.
Years of instability have limited the capacity of Afghanistan’s health system to ensure equitable access to essential health services, including nutrition, for the population. Coupled with severe underfunding, this further led to the closure of 428 static and mobile health facilities over the course of 2023. These closures affect 3 million people, including over 600 000 children aged under 5 years and more than 240 000 pregnant and lactating women.
In response, WHO Afghanistan provided crucial support for the treatment of about 50 750 severe acute malnutrition cases in 130 stabilization centres across the country. This vital response underscores the pressing need for continued support and investment in Afghanistan’s health infrastructure.
“Without additional mobilization of resources, WHO and its partners in Afghanistan will struggle to contain the loss of lives caused by malnutrition, particularly in underserved areas with vulnerable populations of children, women and elderly people,” said Dr Tanoli.
WHO Afghanistan also extends its gratitude to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) for its invaluable contribution to the provision of supplies and training to the new life-saving ward at Khair Khana Hospital. This support has been instrumental in enhancing WHO’s efforts to contain malnutrition and improve health care access for vulnerable populations in Afghanistan.
