Keywords: Afghanistan malnutrition crisis, starving children Afghanistan, Afghan healthcare collapse, UNICEF Afghanistan aid, Taliban healthcare policies, Afghanistan poverty and hunger, Afghan children hospital crisis.
Jalalabad, Afghanistan — In the heart of Jalalabad, a silent tragedy unfolds daily. Hospital wards meant to be filled with the sounds of life are eerily quiet, occupied by starving children too weak to cry or move. This is the stark reality of Afghanistan’s worsening malnutrition crisis, where poverty, war, and a collapsed healthcare system have converged into a perfect storm of despair.
Amina, a grieving mother, embodies this anguish. “This is like doomsday for me. I feel so much grief. Can you imagine what I’ve gone through watching my children die?” she laments. Amina has lost six children, none of whom lived past the age of three. Now, her seven-month-old daughter, Bibi Hajira, is fighting for her life, reduced to the size of a newborn due to severe acute malnutrition.
Bibi Hajira is just one of 3.2 million Afghan children suffering from this deadly condition, which has plagued the nation for decades. With the Taliban’s takeover three years ago, the situation has escalated to an unprecedented crisis. The once sporadic instances of malnutrition have become a relentless daily reality in hospitals like Jalalabad’s regional facility.
The hospital’s ward, where Bibi lies, holds 18 toddlers in just seven beds. The unnerving silence is only broken by the beeps of pulse rate monitors, as most children are too weak to make a sound. Sharing Bibi’s bed is three-year-old Sana, whose mother died in childbirth. Her aunt, who now cares for her, has lost seven children. Nearby, one-year-old Asma struggles to breathe, her tiny body in septic shock. Despite the desperate efforts of doctors like Dr. Sikandar Ghani, Asma succumbed to her condition shortly after the BBC’s visit.
This hospital, which serves five provinces with a combined population of five million, has seen over 700 children die in the past six months—a staggering average of more than three per day. Yet, this grim toll would be far higher without the critical support of the World Bank and UNICEF, whose funding keeps the facility running.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system, once almost entirely funded by international aid, collapsed when the Taliban took power, leading to severe shortages of medicine, staff, and resources. Aid agencies stepped in as a temporary solution, but as global attention shifts elsewhere, funding for Afghanistan has dwindled. The Taliban’s restrictive policies, particularly toward women, have further deterred donors, exacerbating the crisis.
Dr. Ghani and his team work tirelessly with the limited resources available, saving as many lives as they can. “If we had more medicines, facilities, and staff, we could save more children,” he says, his voice heavy with the weight of knowing that every loss is a preventable tragedy.
The malnutrition crisis is only part of the story. Children are also dying from other preventable diseases like pneumonia. Six-month-old Umrah, fighting severe pneumonia, died two days after being admitted, despite her mother’s desperate pleas for her life. Countless others never make it to the hospital, with only one in five children receiving the care they need.
The situation is further strained by the influx of more than 700,000 Afghan refugees forcibly deported from Pakistan, many of whom have settled in Nangarhar, increasing the pressure on an already overburdened healthcare system.
In surrounding communities, the effects of malnutrition are evident. Robina, a mother living in a makeshift settlement near Jalalabad, fears for her two-year-old son, Mohammed, who is severely stunted. “The doctor says he needs treatment for three to six months, but we can’t even afford food,” she says, her voice filled with fear for her son’s future.
The crisis in Afghanistan is a silent emergency, one that is not just a matter of immediate survival, but of long-term consequences. According to UNICEF, nearly half of Afghan children under five are stunted, a condition that causes irreversible physical and cognitive damage. “Afghanistan is already struggling economically. If large sections of our future generation are physically or mentally disabled, how will our society be able to help them?” Dr. Ghani asks.
Afghanistan stands at a crossroads, where the choices made by the international community could determine the fate of millions of children. The need for humanitarian aid is more urgent than ever. Without it, the silent suffering of Afghanistan’s children will continue to deepen, unseen and unheard by a world that has already turned its attention elsewhere.
Context and Background
- Historical Context: Afghanistan has been plagued by over 40 years of conflict, which has significantly disrupted its social, economic, and healthcare systems. The ongoing war, combined with natural disasters and economic sanctions, has exacerbated poverty and food insecurity across the country.
- Taliban Takeover Impact: Since the Taliban took control in August 2021, international aid that previously supported the Afghan government’s public services, including healthcare, has been severely reduced. This has led to a collapse in the healthcare system, with hospitals facing shortages of essential medicines, medical supplies, and skilled personnel.
Malnutrition Statistics
- Prevalence of Malnutrition: According to UNICEF, 3.2 million Afghan children under the age of five are currently suffering from acute malnutrition, with over a million of them at risk of severe acute malnutrition, which is life-threatening without immediate treatment.
- Stunting: Nearly 45% of Afghan children under five are stunted due to chronic malnutrition. Stunting not only affects a child’s physical growth but also impairs cognitive development, leading to long-term consequences for the individual and society.
- Child Mortality: The reported figure of 700 child deaths in just six months at a single hospital in Jalalabad is alarming. Nationally, Afghanistan has one of the highest rates of child mortality in the world, with preventable and treatable conditions like malnutrition, pneumonia, and diarrhea being major causes.
Healthcare System Collapse
- Funding Shortfalls: Before the Taliban takeover, almost 75% of Afghanistan’s public expenditures were funded by international donors. The sudden withdrawal of these funds has left the healthcare sector in disarray, with hospitals relying on emergency aid from organizations like the World Bank, UNICEF, and WHO.
- Impact of Sanctions: International sanctions against the Taliban have made it difficult for aid to reach those in need. Although some humanitarian exceptions exist, the overall reduction in aid has drastically impacted the ability of healthcare facilities to function effectively.
- Healthcare Workforce: The healthcare system in Afghanistan is understaffed and undertrained. Many skilled healthcare workers have fled the country due to the conflict, leaving behind a shortage of qualified doctors, nurses, and specialists.
- Economic and Social Factors
- Poverty: Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. The World Bank estimates that nearly 97% of the population lives below the poverty line, a situation worsened by the Taliban’s takeover, which has led to international isolation and economic sanctions.
- Food Insecurity: Afghanistan faces severe food insecurity, with nearly 19 million people, almost half the population, experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. This is driven by factors like ongoing conflict, drought, and the economic impact of the Taliban’s governance.
- Gender Restrictions: The Taliban’s policies, particularly those restricting women’s rights, have further complicated aid delivery. Women are essential to the healthcare workforce and as caretakers in families. Restrictions on their work and movement have led to gaps in healthcare services, especially in maternal and child health.
- Global Response and Challenges
- Aid Dependency: Afghanistan has been highly dependent on international aid for decades. The current situation underscores the challenges of maintaining critical services in a country where the state is unable to function effectively without external support.
- Donor Fatigue: With the world’s attention divided by multiple crises, including the war in Ukraine, the humanitarian response to Afghanistan’s crisis has seen significant funding cuts. Many aid agencies are operating with only a fraction of the resources they need to address the escalating crisis.
- Call to Action: Humanitarian organizations and Afghan health professionals continue to call for increased international support to prevent further loss of life. There is an urgent need for sustained funding, medical supplies, and personnel to address the crisis and prevent the collapse of what remains of Afghanistan’s healthcare system.
