Afghanistan's health emergency as pneumonia cases surge among children: Report

Afghanistan Pneumonia Crisis: Aid agencies have warned that the crisis is likely to get even worse following a ban on female workers in NGOS.

As Afghanistan faces a severe economic crisis, families are finding it increasingly difficult to afford adequate heating owing to which cases of pneumonia have been on the rise among children, Reuters reported quoting doctors and aid workers.

Afghanistan Pneumonia Crisis: A hospital is seen following an increase in the number of pneumonia cases in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters)

More than 6,700 children were admitted in November for pneumonia, coughs, asthma and other respiratory conditions, compared to around 3,700 the same month the previous year, Reuters reported quoting hospital data.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that even before the winter months, Afghanistan had seen a 50% increase of children under five admitted for pneumonia in 2022 compared to the previous year, the report said.

The report said that thousands of children are being admitted to hospitals in Afghanistan with pneumonia and other respiratory diseases caused by cold weather and malnutrition. Aid agencies have warned that the crisis is likely to get even worse following a ban on female workers in NGOS. The ban introduced by the Taliban resulted in over 180 international organisations suspending operations in the country amid crucial winter months.

The organisations said that they were unable to operate without female staff who were helpful in reaching out to women and children. Even before Taliban's 2021 takeover following US troop withdrawal, more than half of Afghanistan's population was reliant on humanitarian aid. The country has been hit by a major cut in spending by foreign government, Western sanctions and freezing of central bank assets.