Public Health Ministry Responds to OCHA Report

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, Sharafat Zaman Amar Khil, says that Afghanistan’s health system has largely become self-sufficient.

Speaking to TOLOnews, Mr. Amar Khil stated that many services are now funded through the national budget.

“Alhamdulillah, the health system is moving towards self-sufficiency. More services are funded through the national budget, the structure has expanded, and most health centers are now funded by the government. However, we still need international coordination and cooperation for quality services and the control of infectious diseases,” added Amar Khil.

The spokesperson made these remarks in response to a report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

OCHA’s report, covering the past three years of humanitarian assistance, highlighted challenges such as drought, climate change, an unstable banking system, and economic hardships, all of which threaten the stability of the health system.

The report said that humanitarian support “coincided with record-high humanitarian needs following the transition – reaching an unprecedented 29.2 million in 2023 –as a result of severe economic decline brought about by disruption to the banking sector and the abrupt suspension of bilateral development cooperation, rising food insecurity and poverty levels, the worst drought in 30 years, and concerns over a potential collapse of the public health system.”

The report also notes that millions of dollars in aid have been provided to Afghanistan since the Islamic Emirate took power over three years ago, with aid levels peaking in 2022.

“Afghanistan has received approximately US$6.7 billion in humanitarian funding since the Taliban takeover on 15 August 2021, with resources peaking at nearly $3.3 billion in 2022,” read part of the report.

The report also emphasizes the importance of respecting women’s rights.