8am: Richard Bennett, the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, stated ahead of the International Day for Mine Awareness that unexploded ordnance caused 471 civilian casualties in Afghanistan last year. On Thursday, April 2, in a report on casualties from unexploded mines in Afghanistan, Bennett expressed particular concern over child victims. He
Ariana: Tuberculosis remains one of the most serious public health threats in Afghanistan, with thousands of new cases reported each year, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, marking World Tuberculosis Day. The United Nations said that with an estimated rate of 203 cases per 100,000 people in 2025, the disease continues to be a major
Afghanistan International: Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said in a new report that women’s and girls’ access to healthcare has been severely restricted since the Taliban returned to power. The report says bans on women’s education and employment, as well as restrictions on freedom of movement, have deepened
Ariana: Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, said the ministry is making sustained and intensive efforts to address the gap and expand access to healthcare services in remote and underserved areas of the country. Click here to read more (external link). More Suspension of Medicine Imports from Pakistan Triggers Price Surge and Quality
Afghanistan International: Under the directive, all members of a surgical team must be either entirely male or entirely female, and mixed-gender teams are prohibited. The order states that a patient’s gender will not be considered when assigning surgical staff. The new order has raised concerns about the ability of Afghanistan’s healthcare system to provide adequate
8am: For Kabul residents, noise pollution is more than a nuisance; it is a serious threat to human health. Constant exposure to loud sounds can harm both physical and mental well-being. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: Three months after the Taliban ordered a halt to pharmaceutical trade with Pakistan, medicine prices in Kabul have risen by as much as 40 precent, according to pharmacy owners and market sources. Formal medicine imports have largely stopped, and many drugs are now entering the market through smuggling routes. Click here to read
Khaama: Public Health Ministry announced Monday a polio vaccination campaign has begun across 18 provinces targeting 7.3 million children under age five throughout Afghanistan. Ministry spokesperson Sharaf Zaman Amarkhel stated the campaign is underway in Kabul, Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar, Nuristan, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Ghazni, Badghis, Herat, Kunduz, Faryab, Balkh, Zabul, Uruzgan, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces.
8am: The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the opening of a 70-bed hospital for cancer patients in Kabul, which will provide services such as chemotherapy, cancer surgery, radiology, and laboratory services. The organization wrote on its X page on Thursday, January 29, 2026, that with the support of the European Union in Afghanistan, the
Amu: Noor Jalal Jalali, the Taliban health minister, said on Tuesday that the country is seeking to reduce its reliance on medicines imported from Pakistan, which he said previously supplied up to 70% of Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical market. Taliban stopped the imports of medicines from Pakistan in November after heightened tensions with the neighboring country. Click