Michael Hughes
March 31, 2020
It will be nearly impossible for conflict-torn countries like Afghanistan to fight the coronavirus pandemic without immediate assistance from major states and aid organizations across the globe, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a new action alert.
“Health systems in conflict zones in places such as Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, northeast Nigeria, and Afghanistan are simply not prepared to handle a flood of COVID-19 cases without a surge in support,” the ICRC said in a statement on March 30.
The pandemic comes at a time when Afghanistan is highly vulnerable after decades of war, a situation that is not improving amid ongoing clashes between the Taliban and government forces.