KABUL — At least 318 people died and more than 160,000 were infected by infectious diseases across Afghanistan in April 2025, the World Health Organization said in a new emergency report, as the country’s overstretched health system faces renewed pressure from funding shortages, widespread displacement, and Taliban-imposed restrictions.
The WHO warned of a “significant surge” in communicable diseases such as measles, pneumonia, and malaria. The trend is being compounded by deteriorating sanitation, limited access to health services, and the return of more than 194,600 Afghans from Iran and Pakistan last month alone.
In its April Emergency Situation Report, WHO detailed the following outbreaks:
Measles: 18,703 cases | 111 deaths
Pneumonia (Acute Respiratory Infection): 128,055 cases | 260 deaths
Acute Watery Diarrhea: 13,342 cases | 3 deaths
Malaria (confirmed): 2,982 cases — nearly a 275% increase compared to March
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever: 109 cases | 5 deaths
Dengue Fever (suspected): 131 cases
COVID-19 (confirmed): 150 cases
While WHO continues to support over 130 health facilities across 20 provinces, the country’s health system is increasingly under strain. Many clinics lack essential medicine, electricity, and female health personnel — a result of both resource depletion and Taliban policies restricting women’s participation in public life.
“We go to the clinic and they give us two tablets without examining us,” said Zarafshan, a pregnant woman in Badghis Province. “They don’t check the baby or complete our vaccinations.”
Women are banned from visiting health facilities without a male guardian, and female medical education remains prohibited. International aid groups say these restrictions are contributing to a rise in maternal and infant mortality, particularly in remote areas.
Earlier this year, WHO warned that unless immediate funding is restored, 80 percent of supported health facilities could shut down by June 2025, cutting off 1.8 million people from essential care. In recent months, more than 400 clinics have closed, affecting an estimated 3 million people, according to United Nations officials.
The health crisis is also being exacerbated by the suspension of U.S. humanitarian funding, which previously supported a significant share of Afghanistan’s public health infrastructure.
Despite the growing emergency, the Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health has not released a comprehensive response plan. The WHO has urged the de facto authorities to prepare for a public health emergency and to ease restrictions preventing access to care.
In the meantime, WHO and its partners continue to distribute medical kits, support mobile health teams, and conduct disease surveillance, but officials warn that without urgent international support, the situation could rapidly deteriorate.
