KABUL, Afghanistan — The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that at least 170 deaths have been attributed to measles in Afghanistan in 2024. Since the beginning of the year, the WHO has recorded 39,826 suspected measles cases.
The WHO noted that 80.1% of suspected cases involved children under the age of five, and 45.3% of the cases were female.
Doctors have cited the lack of proper health services and failure to vaccinate children as the primary causes of the measles outbreak. Citizens have also criticized the lack of access to health centers and timely treatment, which they say leads to the loss of their children.
The WHO report highlighted Khost province as having the highest number of measles cases. Women and children are the most affected demographics.
“Since the beginning of 2024, Khost has reported the highest cumulative incidence of suspected measles cases per 10,000 population (44.2), followed by Balkh (24.5), Samangan (19.2), and Jawzjan (18.6),” the report stated.
Families with infected children have expressed concerns over poor conditions and improper diagnoses. Zahra, a resident of Badghis, described her sister’s severe symptoms and the difficulty in obtaining a correct diagnosis. “A few days ago, my sister had severe diarrhea and vomiting. We took her to the clinic, and after a few days, she was discharged. But her condition worsened again. We took her to the hospital, where they said it was measles. There is no proper treatment here,” she said.
Najia, a resident of Herat, shared a similar experience with her grandchild. “Due to incorrect diagnoses at the clinics, my grandchild has been hospitalized for 40 days. Someone says it is measles, and another says it is a different disease. We go from one clinic to another, and she is still hospitalized,” Najia said.
Doctors have pointed to Afghanistan’s inadequate healthcare system as a significant factor in the spread of measles. “In the past seven months, more than 35,000 people in Afghanistan have been affected by measles, a significantly higher number compared to previous years. The lack of a good healthcare delivery system in Afghanistan has unfortunately increased the spread of diseases like measles,” said Abdullah Ahmadi, former head of Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital. “The Ministry of Public Health must begin investigations, identify weaknesses, and provide measles vaccines as soon as possible.”
According to doctors, measles is a highly contagious viral disease common in childhood. Children suffering from measles and other illnesses, such as malnutrition, face a higher risk of death.
Last year, the WHO recorded approximately 25,000 suspected cases of measles in Afghanistan.
