The number of cases of seasonal diseases, particularly pneumonia, has increased in Kabul as winter approaches, doctors said.

Doctors from Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital in Kabul said that the number of children infected with the disease has increased compared to the past year, saying more than 30 children are brought to the hospital daily.

“The number of patients who visit our hospital is different every day, but 30, 40, or 50 people are hospitalized here every day. At least 20% to 30% of our patients are in critical condition because they come to the hospital from remote areas,” said Saifullah Abasin, a doctor.

“We are attempting to reduce the number of deaths among respiratory diseases patients through proper treatment,” said Sharafat Zaman Amarkhail, spokesman of the public health ministry.

The major causes of this disease are poor hygiene, polluted air, and cold temperatures.

“Air pollution, whether it is outside or inside the room, both have negative impacts. For instance, those who smoke inside the room, it is also a type of air pollution, or those who use fuel that produces smoke inside the room, it increases the cases of pneumonia," said Mohammad Nasir Kazemi, a doctor.

“Kabul’s air has been polluted. People should keep their children warm. Families who completely cover their windows should leave a path open so that room temperature can change,” said Suhrab Farahmand, a doctor.

Parents of Mohammad, a newborn baby, said their child had been under treatment at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul for over a week. 

“He has had pneumonia for six days. I brought him to a private hospital. I bought lots of medicine for him. I kept him in the private hospital for one night. They asked me to take the child to the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital when his condition worsened,” said Roya, the mother of a child.

“My son got pneumonia because we did not have anything to warm up the room,” said Yasamin, mother of another child.

More than 960,000 people have been infected with the disease in the past 11 months nationwide and most of them are children, based on figures by the Ministry of Public Health.