The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that 80% of healthcare centers in Afghanistan may shut down by June this year due to a lack of funding.

Expressing concern over the situation, WHO reported that as of March 4, 2024, a total of 167 healthcare centers in 25 districts, serving 1.6 million people, have already been closed due to budget shortages. The organization further stated that the 80% closure rate includes over 220 healthcare centers, which serve 1.8 million people.

In an official statement, Edwin Ceniza Salvador, the WHO Representative in Afghanistan, emphasized: "This is not just about funding. It is a humanitarian emergency that threatens to undo years of progress in strengthening Afghanistan’s health system. Every day that passes without our collective support brings more suffering, more preventable deaths and lasting damage to the country’s health care infrastructure."

Local residents have also expressed their deep concerns. Ashiqullah Darmal, a resident of Kabul, stated: "The closure of health centers and clinics is a disaster for our people. We urge international organizations to increase their support for Afghanistan’s healthcare sector."

Several Afghan doctors highlighted the vital role of WHO-supported health centers, particularly in remote areas, in reducing maternal and child mortality and controlling various diseases.

"If WHO-supported healthcare centers collapse, we will witness a significant increase in maternal and child deaths, especially in remote areas where Afghanistan’s health sector cannot provide services without WHO assistance," said Rustam Mobasher, a physician in Kabul.

"Healthcare should not be politicized. Health crises are not confined to one country. If Afghanistan faces a healthcare crisis, it will inevitably affect neighboring countries and eventually have negative consequences worldwide," Munir Ahmad Karimi told TOLOnews.

Previously, Save the Children had also reported the closure of 18 health centers in Afghanistan, warning that 14 more centers would shut down in the coming month due to reductions in foreign aid.