The World Health Organization (WHO) said due to lack of funding 33 secondary and tertiary hospitals, which provide services to 9 million Afghans, are on the verge of stopping their services.

The WHO said in its recent report that in July 2023 a total of 241,874 people received emergency healthcare service (PHC & hospitals) through accessing WHO-supported health facilities.

“WHO expanded its services by establishing more primary health services in underserved areas in 33 provinces. WHO is currently operating 275 primary health care facilities and 21 hospitals through our partners,” the report reads.

Meanwhile, some patients who have come from different provinces to the center for treatment criticized the lack of health services provided in the hospitals.

“Our treatment costs a lot. There is no good treatment here, we don't have a good doctor to treat us,” said Shir Ahmad, a resident of Bamiyan.

“There is a lot of problems. They are not providing us with the medicine. Foreign countries should cooperate with us,” said Abdul Satar, a resident of Paktika.

“Patients have problems with the medicine, they buy it for money,” (what?) said Hasibullah, a resident of Takhar.

The Ministry of Public Health hasn't commented on this WHO report, but it has previously said that it is looking for alternative ways for collaborating with the nation's health sector.

“The Ministry of Health of Afghanistan should not always rely on the World Health Organization or foreign aid organizations, they should act urgently and introduce a different health package that suits the conditions of the Afghan people,” said Sayed Abdullah Ahmadi, a doctor.

“We ask the World Health Organization to support the hospitals of Afghanistan, and the ministry of public health,” said Payenda Mohammad Saleh, another doctor.

This comes as earlier the spokesperson of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told Reuters that the organization is likely to end the financial running of 25 Afghan hospitals by the end of August due to funding constraints.

"Although we continue to engage with government ministries, donors, and organizations to find alternative sustainable support mechanisms for the hospital sector, the phase-out of the Hospital Program is expected to happen tentatively at the end of August," Diogo Alcantara, ICRC's spokesperson for Afghanistan, told Reuters on Thursday.