“This is a crisis of silent suffering,” said UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan.

“Malnutrition is tightening its grip on Afghanistan’s most vulnerable,” the agency said.

The WHO said the closures include 108 mobile health and nutrition teams.

The four-day drive is scheduled to run from May 26 to May 30.

According to sources, the vaccinators were shot after they knocked on a door to vaccinate children.

The weekly number of suspected cases surged by 6.2 percent, reaching 4,043, the report says.

The WHO warned of a “significant surge” in communicable diseases such as measles, pneumonia, and malaria.

Most hospitals across Afghanistan’s 34 provinces still lack specialized psychiatric services, according to the report.

The UN agency warned that the cuts come amid intensifying economic hardship and worsening food insecurity.

Taliban official called on relevant aid agencies, including ICRC, to support efforts for helping thalassemia patients.