KABUL, Afghanistan— The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has allocated $48.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid for Afghanistan, as funding shortages threaten relief efforts in the country.
The funds, drawn from the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, will be used to address urgent needs across the country, OCHA said in a statement.
Indrika Ratwatte, head of OCHA in Afghanistan, said the aid package aims to support collective response efforts amid worsening conditions for millions of Afghans.
“After decades of war, poverty, and climate shocks, Afghans are now facing a sharp decline in life-saving assistance,” Ratwatte said.
According to the latest OCHA report, declining aid funding has severely impacted humanitarian operations.
OCHA says that in the past month alone, more than 200 health centers shut down, leaving 1.8 million people without access to essential medical services.
According to OCHA, by the end of March, one in three Afghans is expected to face severe food insecurity.
An estimated 3.5 million children under five and over one million pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition, OCHA added.
OCHA has warned that Afghanistan remains one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions at risk of further hardship without immediate intervention.
“The situation will only worsen without sustained funding and urgent humanitarian action,” the report stated.
The U.N. continues to urge donor nations to maintain support for Afghanistan’s humanitarian response, as the country faces deteriorating living conditions and widespread food and health insecurity.
