Afghanistan Health Profile 2012

Social safety nets Afghanistan is highly dependent on international assistance to meet even its operational expenses. Given the HDI and other social and economic indicators, and the fact that the international community is running short on fulfilling their commitments, the social safety nets are more of a myth than reality. Kabul is overpopulated with very high rents, rural areas are highly insecure and, despite some initiatives, the rampant corruption prevailing in the country hinders any provision for social safety nets.

There are many programs that have been initiated with the help of international partners to compensate for poverty; however, they have been unable to make any significant progress towards this objective as poverty has been rising for the past few years. Almost half the population (53%) in Afghanistan lives below the poverty line. Warlords and drug barons continue to exercise a significant degree of control over existing opportunities. The government and its international partners have become hostage to the whims of this powerful elite, many of whom are members of the parliament. Women and religious minorities are discriminated against in practice and (sometimes) by law.

Health

The health infrastructure in Afghanistan damaged or destroyed by years of conflict, is gradually being re-established by the Afghan Government with the help of the international community. The health services inherited at the end of 2001 were limited in capacity and coverage, and while the Ministry of Health has shown leadership the health status of the Afghan people is still among the worst in the world. The majority of the population lacks access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities. Disease, malnutrition and poverty are rife and an estimated 6.5 million people remain dependant on food aid.

• 13.5% of babies dies during or shortly after birth (UNDP, 2007)
• 26% of children die before reaching the age of 5 (UNDP, 2007)
• Maternal mortality rate: 1600 per 100000 live births (UNDP, 2007)
• More than three million Afghans benefited from rural water supply and sanitation activities in the country. 10119 water points, 66 networks and 1713 water reservoirs have been constructed.
• 32.5% of the rural population has access to safe drinking water (UNAMA 2008)

The World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development and the European Community are helping the Afghan Ministry of Health, through NGOs, to provide a basic healthcare service to the entire population. The package consists of services for maternal and newborn health; child health and immunisation; nutrition; communicable disease; mental health; disability; and the supply of essential drugs. The Ministry of Health has established a Child and Adolescent Health Department and a Department of Women and Reproductive Health to tackle high infant and maternal mortality rates.

• 83% of the population now has access to medical facilities, compared to 9% in 2004 (NATO, June 2007)
• 76% of children under the age of five have been immunised against childhood diseases (NATO, June 2007)
• More than 4000 medical facilities have been opened since 2004 (NATO, June 2007)

Immunisation is having a real impact. In March 2006, a Ministry of Public Health, UNICEF and World Bank nationwide campaign was launched to immunise 7 million children, in all of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, against polio. Since 2002 UN agencies have administered 16 million vaccinations against measles, saving an estimated 35,000 lives. Cholera and diarrhoeal diseases are being tackled through health education, water chlorination and the construction of wells throughout the country.