Around 14 million in Afghanistan need health assistance, IOM says

The International Organization for Migration said on Tuesday that around 14 million people in Afghanistan need help accessing health services, underscoring the depth of the country’s humanitarian and public health crisis.

Marking World Health Day, the agency said healthcare should be treated as a basic necessity rather than a privilege, especially for vulnerable communities facing displacement, poverty and weak access to clinics.

IOM said it has worked to provide urgent and life-saving medical support to many Afghans returning from abroad, particularly those arriving with little money, poor health or immediate care needs.

Large numbers of displaced and returnee families, especially in border provinces and remote rural areas, continue to face serious shortages of clinics, medicines, equipment and trained health workers.

Aid agencies say those gaps have made it harder for patients, pregnant women, children and people with chronic or emergency conditions to receive timely and reliable treatment across much of the country.

Afghanistan’s health system remains under severe pressure after years of conflict, economic hardship, underfunding and repeated humanitarian shocks, with health facilities in many areas struggling to meet growing demand.

The situation has been worsened by rising returns from neighboring countries, disease outbreaks and cuts in international assistance, all of which have placed additional strain on already fragile services.

The warning from IOM highlights the urgent need for sustained health funding and support as millions of Afghans continue to depend on humanitarian care for survival.

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