Hundreds of health centers at risk of closure in Afghanistan say WHO

Hundreds of medical facilities in Afghanistan are at risk of imminent closure as Western donors funding them are banned from doing business with the new Taliban government, according to World Health Organization officials. There is.

Rick Brennan, director of regional emergency at the United Nations Health Organization, told Reuters that about 90% of 2,300 medical facilities across the country could have to be closed soon this week.

He said Western donors could have regulations that would prevent them from doing business with the Taliban without going into more detail.

“We plan to suspend operations in most of them (medical facilities). One estimate is that up to 90% will probably cease functioning later in the week, which is associated with increased illness and death. Probably, “Brennan said.

He said the WHO was trying to fill the gap by providing supplies, equipment and funding to 500 health centers.

Authorities were also in contact with Qatar for medical delivery by plane, he added.

“We hope to have up to a few supplies that will probably be airlifted from the Qatar government to Kabul next week or so,” he said.

The next delivery will include COVID testing and consumables to treat chronic illness.

WHO, along with other aid agencies, has struggled to bring in medicines, including trauma kits, partly due to the turmoil at Kabul Airport.

Drugs continue to flow through cities in the north of Mazar-i-Sharif, and WHO is also exploring overland options via trucks from Pakistan, Brennan said.

(c) Reuters

News.Az

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