Health & Nutrition (MHNT)

In Afghanistan, 17.9 million people need health assistance. ARDHO seeks to ensure that children and their families enjoy good health. The situation in numbers: 28.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, including 15.2 million children. Among them, 875,000 severely acutely malnourished children under the age of five are expected to require SAM treatment. Additionally, 17.6 million people will need humanitarian health assistance (HNO 2023). These numbers are expected to rise in the coming years due to the worsening situation.
ARDHO’s Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams (MHNTs) task force has developed the Strategic Guide for the Rationalization of Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams and Enhanced Access to Health Services in Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan. ARDHO implemented the MHNTs project in cooperation with UNICEF in Maidan Wardak province in 2023. This strategic guide supported the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and its partners in planning and implementing integrated primary health care services in underserved areas of the country and responding to acute emergencies.
In Afghanistan, a total of 4,284 malnourished children (2,228 girls and 2,056 boys) with medical complications were admitted and treated in 130 inpatient centers, including 119 hospitals and 11 comprehensive health centers in 2023, with ARDHO being one of the implementing partners. The number of cases in May increased compared to April 2023, attributed to improved data completeness, timely reporting, and a strengthened community referral system. As the peak season of malnutrition approaches, a further increase in cases is anticipated in the coming months.
During the reporting period, confirmed COVID-19 cases rose by 24.4%, with 21 associated deaths (CFR 0.35%). There were 7 deaths reported in April 2023 compared to May 2023. A total of 24,359 tests were conducted in public laboratories, reflecting a 31.5% increase compared to April 2023. The test positivity rate increased from 10.9% in April 2023 to 24.5% in May 2023.
The second phase of the COVID-19 immunization campaign began in 15 provinces, having been postponed in March due to winter. This campaign, which targets adults aged 18 and older who have not yet completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccine doses or received a booster dose, is set to continue until June 7th. The vaccine is administered by trained teams at temporary sites such as mosques and community centers across the 15 provinces. So far, 800,000 primary doses and 600,000 booster doses have been administered. Additionally, 800 fixed sites nationwide are providing COVID-19 vaccination to the adult population. The proportion of individuals who have received at least one dose of the vaccine has slightly increased to 39.0%.

Monthly Summary of Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Afghanistan, until May 2023:

All figures except COVID-19 have been updated to reflect only the number of cases reported since the beginning of 2023.