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.
At least 19 people were killed and 16 injured as two buildings collapased in Morocco's Fes city according to the state news agency....
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 10th of December, covering the latest developments you need to...
The world’s leading minds and voices will be honoured on Wednesday, 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, as Nobel Prizes are pres...
Heavy artillery fire and deadly skirmishes have shattered a fragile ceasefire agreement along the disputed frontier between Southeast Asian neighbours...
The United Nations Security Council has issued warnings about the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, citing a sharp surge in civilian c...
At a WHO supported malnutrition ward in Khartoum, doctors and mothers describe children arriving too weak to eat or drink as nearly three years of conflict, displacement and disease push Sudan towards famine.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has declared the end of a 16th Ebola outbreak, closing a two month emergency in Kasai Province that pushed national and international teams into an intensive response.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that all known strains of the mpox virus remain in circulation, raising concerns about sustained community transmission if outbreaks are not quickly contained. At the same time, the newly identified clade Ib has now spread beyond Africa.
The United Nations Security Council is holding open briefings and closed consultations on Sudan following what it called the "dire situation in El Fasher".
Scores of demonstrators gathered outside the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo Tuesday (9 December) to protest against the awarding of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
Authorities in Japan lifted all tsunami warnings on Tuesday following a strong 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck off the northeastern coast late on Monday, injuring at least 30 people and forcing around 90,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
Pressure is mounting between Venezuela and the United States as both nations emphasise military preparedness and strategic positioning.
Tehran has protested to Washington because of the travel ban on its football team delegation as well as Iranian fans who would like to travel to the United States for the upcoming World Cup matches in 2026.
Paramount Skydance (PSKY.O) has launched a $108.4 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O). The escalation follows a high-stakes battle that had appeared to end last week when Netflix secured a $72 billion deal for the studio giant’s assets.
At least 19 people were killed and 16 injured as two buildings collapased in Morocco's Fes city according to the state news agency.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 10th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The world’s leading minds and voices will be honoured on Wednesday, 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, as Nobel Prizes are presented in Stockholm and Oslo.
Heavy artillery fire and deadly skirmishes have shattered a fragile ceasefire agreement along the disputed frontier between Southeast Asian neighbours Thailand and Cambodia, forcing massive evacuations of people to safety and drawing urgent calls for de-escalation from the international community.
The United Nations Security Council has issued warnings about the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, citing a sharp surge in civilian casualties amidst Russia's intensified aerial attacks, marking the deadliest period of the war in more than a year.
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