Letters to the UN and WHO on Afghanistan

The political situation has dramatically changed in Afghanistan since August 2021, and it had devastating impacts on the country’s health sector. Millions of people have limited or no access to healthcare services and they are facing trauma due to decades of war and internal conflicts.

The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) is highly concerned of the grave implications the situation may have on the health infrastructure, impacting dramatically the health of the population, if the pace of response is not accelerated. Representing the voices of 130 public health associations, the Federation would like to draw your attention to the serious/grave situation on the ground and urge that the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for a special support to Afghanistan’s health sector, to ensure the restoration and possible scale up of basic health services, especially to the most vulnerable sections of the population, including women and children.

We believe that it is our joint responsibility to help Afghanistan, strengthen the healthcare system, which is on the verge of collapse, and protect people’s lives.