Mon Mar 17 17:44:00 UTC 2025: ## Afghanistan Faces Healthcare Collapse Due to Funding Crisis
**Kabul, Afghanistan –** The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Monday that 80% of its supported healthcare services in Afghanistan could shut down by June due to a critical funding shortage, exacerbated by massive US aid cuts. This potential collapse threatens to leave 1.8 million Afghans without access to primary healthcare, adding to the already dire situation.
The WHO statement highlights that 167 healthcare facilities have already closed due to lack of funds, with a further 220 closures projected by June. WHO’s Afghanistan chief, Edwin Ceniza Salvador, described the situation as a “humanitarian emergency” threatening to reverse years of progress. The crisis is linked to a shift in global development aid priorities and the US withdrawal of funding.
The funding shortfall is impacting multiple sectors. The US pullout has jeopardized the global measles surveillance network, leaving Afghanistan vulnerable; the country experienced over 16,000 suspected measles cases and 111 deaths in January and February alone (figures disputed by the Taliban government). Other pressing health issues include malaria, dengue outbreaks, and polio eradication efforts.
Save the Children also reported that 18 of its supported health facilities have already closed, with only 14 remaining open for a month unless additional funding is secured. These clinics served over 134,000 children in January. The funding crisis is further exacerbating Afghanistan’s already high maternal mortality rate (638 per 100,000 live births), with the UN predicting an additional 1,200 maternal deaths by 2028. Widespread malnutrition, with 10% of children under five malnourished and 45% stunted, adds to the severity of the humanitarian crisis. The ongoing economic, humanitarian, and climate crises, compounded by decades of war, create a perfect storm of hardship. The international community is urged to provide urgent financial assistance to avert a complete healthcare collapse.
First Piper 