WHO says millions of Afghans at risk as fragile health system faces funding shortfall

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Afghanistan is facing a worsening humanitarian and health crisis in 2025, with millions of returning refugees expected to stretch the country’s already fragile health system.

In its latest report, the WHO said about 1.6 million Afghans are expected to return from Pakistan and nearly 2 million from Iran this year, fuelling further strain on healthcare. The agency urged the international community to step up support.

Dr Luo Dapeng, the WHO Representative in Afghanistan, said the situation was urgent, warning that “the health system is fragile, under-resourced, and cannot cope alone with the scale of need”.

The report found that 22.9 million Afghans – nearly half the country’s population – will need humanitarian assistance in 2025. However, current plans only cover 16.8 million people, leaving a funding gap of $2.42 billion.

Afghanistan’s rural areas remain the most vulnerable, with many communities lacking access to basic services. WHO also highlighted the risk of outbreaks of polio, malaria, COVID-19, diarrhoeal disease, and other infections. According to UNICEF, more than 875,000 Afghan children under five suffer from severe acute malnutrition, increasing their vulnerability to disease.

Globally, malaria alone killed more than 600,000 people in 2022, according to WHO, underscoring fears that Afghanistan could see a surge if prevention measures falter.

Humanitarian analysts warn that unless urgent funding is secured, the crisis could escalate ahead of winter.

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