WHO Receives $6.3 Million in Humanitarian Funding for Afghanistan

Strategic Insights -

The World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan has received crucial funding from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' (OCHA) Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF). The funding, totaling $6.3 million, will be used to expand health services for Afghanistan's most vulnerable communities. This support comes at a critical time when Afghanistan's health system is under severe pressure, with nearly 1 in 3 people unable to access basic care.

Key Takeaways:

  • The WHO will operate 42 primary health care centers (PHCs) and deploy 15 surveillance support teams (SSTs) in 13 provinces, thanks to the $4.98 million CERF allocation.
  • The AHF grant of $1.39 million will support six sub-health centers, 10 SSTs, and 13 inpatient therapeutic feeding centers in four provinces, providing lifesaving care for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
  • The CERF and AHF contributions will directly benefit more than 747,000 people and indirectly benefit an additional 2.4 million through enhanced health infrastructure.
  • WHO Representative in Afghanistan, Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador, welcomes the funding, stating that it will help prevent avoidable deaths and strengthen the ability to respond to disease outbreaks.
  • The funding comes at a time when an unprecedented number of Afghans are returning from Iran and Pakistan, and large parts of the country face the prospect of severe drought.

Statistics:

  • $6.3 million: Total humanitarian funding received by WHO in Afghanistan
  • $4.98 million: CERF allocation for operating 42 PHCs, deploying 15 SSTs, and procuring 249 primary health care kits in 13 provinces
  • $1.39 million: AHF grant for supporting six sub-health centers, 10 SSTs, and 13 inpatient therapeutic feeding centers in four provinces
  • 747,000: Number of people directly benefiting from the combined projects
  • 2.4 million: Additional people benefiting indirectly through enhanced health infrastructure
  • 1 in 3 people: Proportion of Afghans unable to access even basic care

Sources:

  • Pajhwok Afghan News
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
  • Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF)