KABUL, Afghanistan — The Emergency Surgical Centre in Kabul reported that it has treated 21 injured individuals from the deadly traffic accident on Wednesday night along the Kabul-Kandahar highway in Ghazni province.
The accident, which claimed at least 50 lives, including women and children, underscores the growing dangers of Afghanistan’s poorly maintained roads.
“Twenty-one injured people were transported to our Surgical Centre in Kabul, and several others with less serious injuries arrived in our emergency room in the following hours,” the hospital said in a statement. Those with the most severe injuries remain in intensive care following emergency interventions.
Traffic accidents: A growing crisis
The aid organization noted that road traffic accidents have become one of the most frequent causes of trauma injuries in Afghanistan. Since August 2021, the number of recorded accidents has increased fivefold, highlighting the precarious state of the country’s infrastructure.
Between March 2022 and March 2024, the number of traffic accidents surged from 2,662 to 5,520, an alarming 78.5 percent increase, according to the organization.
Decades of neglect and weak Infrastructure
While the formal end of hostilities allowed many roads to reopen, they remain in dire need of repair and restructuring after decades of war. Poor road conditions, coupled with limited access to healthcare and emergency services, have compounded the challenges faced by accident victims.
The transport sector, weakened by years of conflict, has left many families relying on private vehicles ill-suited for long-distance travel. Widespread poverty often forces passengers to crowd into the same vehicle, increasing the risk of accidents.
“Our facilities continue to be a point of reference for traumatology in a country where access to care remains a significant challenge and the health system is largely inadequate,” the Emergency Centre’s statement read.
