Humanitarian fund annual report  for 2021 in Afghanistan

Kabul was ravaged by conflict and natural disasters in 2021. Poverty and the COVID-19 virus also devastated the country. This year’s epidemic has affected 18.4 million individuals (nearly half of the population) and tens of millions more need social support.

The number of people suffering from malnutrition has risen dramatically, especially among women and children.

Humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan drastically deteriorated in 2021 due to soaring conflict and the abrupt cessation of international aid following the Taliban’s takeover on August 15, 2021.

 Millions of people were pushed into poverty by conflict, political and social chaos, and economic collapse. The number of people in need is expected to climb by 33 percent by end of 2022, according to the Humanitarian Needs Overview.

Using a budget of $1.3 billion, the 2021 Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan planned to satisfy the immediate needs of 15.7 million Afghans who were most in need. 

Sadly a part of the humanitarian crisis is looming into a healthcare crisis. Many Afghans suffer from bad health due to a variety of factors. 43 percent of deaths are caused by communicable diseases, maternal, prenatal, and nutritional issues. Mothers and children die as a result of a lack of access to health care.

In the year 2021, four cases of wild polio virus were reported in the country. The problems connected with door-to-door immunization initiatives are expected to worsen by end of 2022. Afghanistan was afflicted with chronic acute watery diarrhoea episodes, as well as measles and dengue fever outbreaks. 

As a result of violence and other circumstances, almost half of Afghans suffer from depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the National Mental Health Survey. 

COVID-19 remained a substantial threat, aggravated by low vaccination rates and preventive adherence (11 per cent by the end of 2021, with a significant gender imbalance).

The health sector had been almost entirely funded by development aid, which had been halted after the Taliban took control in August, crippling health systems across the country. Comprehensive and timely help was essential to keep health-care systems running. This happens no longer.

Furthermore, the August events resulted in the suspension of important commercial land and air routes, causing critical pharmaceutical shipments to be delayed.

Internal displacement and returns Armed conflict, famine, economic collapse, and a regime change all contributed to new displacement in 2021. Official data show that around 700,000 people have been displaced as a result of the conflict. In 2021, all but one province reported conflict-related displacement, with children accounting for more than half of all displaced people. Since 2020, the number of people displaced by conflict has increased by nearly 80%.

Women, children, minorities, and child- and female-headed households, in particular, are frequently displaced and live in overcrowded settlements with limited access to safe shelter, safe water, and sanitation facilities, as well as increased exposure to protection threats such as forced evictions, status discrimination, child labor, family separation, and gender-based violence.