Healthcare situation in Afghanistan called a disaster, says Human Rights Watch

KABUL (Khaama Press): The Human Rights Watch’s recent report on Afghanistan’s healthcare system highlights a concerning prediction of an impending disaster. They emphasize a significant decrease in foreign aid and limitations on women as key factors fueling this crisis.
The Human Rights Watch report titled “A Foreseeable Disaster: Afghanistan’s Health Crisis” was published on Monday, February 12th.
For this report, interviews were held with Afghan and international relief officials, healthcare workers, and people seeking medical assistance in 16 provinces of Afghanistan from February 2023 to January 2024.
The findings of Human Rights Watch indicate that the significant reduction in foreign aid and restrictions against women and girls have contributed to the collapse of the healthcare system in Afghanistan and people’s access to medical services.
Farzana Abbasi, one of the researchers at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The loss of foreign development aid and violations by the Taliban have led to a catastrophic health crisis in Afghanistan disproportionately affecting women and girls.”
According to this report, the mismanagement of the Taliban administration has weakened the healthcare system in Afghanistan and made the people in this country vulnerable to diseases.
This situation arises amidst a severe humanitarian crisis in the country, worsened by the return of Afghan refugees from neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey. They’re facing a harsh winter without necessities such as heating fuel, shelter, food, and other essentials.