The Afghanistan Analysts Network has recently announced that women's health in Afghanistan is facing a serious crisis due to the closure of health centers, a shortage of female staff, restrictions on girls' education, and a decrease in foreign aid. In a report, the organization stated that access to healthcare for women, especially rural women, has become increasingly difficult in recent years. The closure of clinics, a lack of female doctors and midwives, and economic pressure on families have resulted in many women being unable to afford even the cost of traveling to the nearest health center. The Afghanistan Analysts Network emphasized that this situation poses a more serious threat to the future of women's health in Afghanistan, as the closure of secondary schools and universities for girls means that a new generation of female doctors, midwives, and health workers will not be trained. The report noted that starting from early 2025, the United States, which provided about 40% of aid to Afghanistan in 2024, abruptly cut its assistance. As a result of this reduction in aid, 422 health centers in Afghanistan have closed, according to the network. The network also mentioned that several other donors have reduced their assistance. Furthermore, the Afghanistan Analysts Network stated that current government restrictions on women's travel and the requirement for a male guardian in some areas to access public health centers have made it even more difficult for women to receive medical care. The report concluded that if secondary schools for girls and women's education in the health sector do not reopen, the future of women's health in Afghanistan will decline.

The World Food Programme has recently stated that severe budget cuts have significantly disrupted its aid efforts in Afghanistan, and the hunger crisis in the country is worsening. In a published report, the organization noted that last year, over 12.4 million people in Afghanistan received nutritional assistance; however, the reduction in financial resources has resulted in many needy families being excluded from the aid list. The World Food Programme further warned that a halt or further reduction in aid could push more children and mothers into acute malnutrition and make families more vulnerable to economic and climate shocks. The report highlighted that in many areas of Afghanistan, families are facing severe difficulties in securing their daily food needs, and many do not have any source of income.

The BBC World News has reported on the situation of poverty and unemployment in Ghor province, stating that families in Afghanistan are resorting to difficult choices, such as selling their children, to meet their basic needs. According to the report, Saeed Ahmad, a resident of Ghor, mentioned that after his five-year-old daughter, Shaika, suffered from appendicitis and a liver cyst and he was unable to afford her medical treatment, he had no choice but to sell her. The report states: "Saeed Ahmad had no money to pay for her treatment, so he sold his daughter to one of his relatives, and Shaika's surgery was successful. The cost was covered by the 200,000 Afghanis (approximately $3,200) he received for her." Shaika's father said: "I agreed with my relatives that they would pay for her treatment now and the remaining amount over the next five years. If I had taken all the money at once, they would have taken her immediately. Saeed expressed: "If I had money, I would never have made this decision. But I thought to myself, what if she dies without surgery? This way, at least she stays alive." The BBC report noted that men gather every dawn at a crossroads in Chahcharagh of Ghor, hoping to find work. They can only bring bread home to their families if someone comes looking for labor; however, many days they return home empty-handed. Juma Khan, 45, stated that he has only found work three days in the past six weeks, earning between 150 to 200 Afghanis per day. He said: "Three nights in a row my children went to bed hungry. My wife was crying, and so were my children. I borrowed from a neighbor to buy flour. I live in fear that my children will die from hunger." The report also highlighted an increase in child deaths in Afghanistan due to poverty and starvation. Mohammad Hashim, who lost his 14-month-old daughter a few weeks ago, told the BBC: "My child died from hunger and lack of medicine... When a child is sick and hungry, it is natural for them to die." A local elder mentioned that child mortality, primarily due to malnutrition, has "really increased" in the past two years. The BBC wrote that because there are no official records of child deaths in Ghor, they visited a local cemetery as the only witness to these events. The report stated: "We counted small and large graves separately. The number of small graves was nearly double that of large graves, indicating that twice as many children have died compared to adults." Previously, the United Nations reported on widespread shortages of water, food, healthcare services, shelter, heating, and clothing for millions of families, stating that over 80% of families are in debt. Hamidullah Fetrat, deputy spokesman for the current government, responded to the findings of this report by telling the BBC: "During 20 years of occupation, an artificial economy was created due to the influx of American dollars. After the end of the occupation, we inherited poverty, hardship, unemployment, and other problems."

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has recently announced its support for health facilities across Afghanistan to ensure safe childbirth for women. In a statement released the organization stated that with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank, it is supporting the health workers of 2,400 healthcare centers in Afghanistan. This comes at a time when Afghanistan is facing a severe shortage of healthcare workers, particularly female health workers. This situation has restricted access to timely medical services for women, especially pregnant women in remote areas. Reports indicate that many women in remote regions still face risks due to a lack of nearby healthcare facilities. It is worth noting that Afghanistan is one of the countries with a high maternal and neonatal mortality rate. The lack of medical facilities, limited access to specialized training, and the long distances from villages to healthcare centers pose serious challenges in providing services to pregnant mothers. In many areas, women give birth at home or in small clinics, and midwives often work with limited resources and without immediate access to specialized guidance.

A recent study reveals that Afghan refugee children and adolescents who arrived in the UK unaccompanied are facing deep and lasting psychological trauma, including severe anxiety, depression, insomnia, and chronic loneliness. The University of East Anglia published this research, stating that researchers examined the situation of 12 unaccompanied minor refugees from Afghanistan who arrived in difficult conditions in the UK after the fall of Kabul in 2021, without the presence of parents or guardians. The findings indicate that participants were between 14 and 21 years old upon arrival in the UK and had experienced war, security threats, violence, separation from family, and the loss of close family members prior to their migration. Researchers note that the psychological effects of these experiences continue to impact the lives of these refugees even after years of living in the UK. Several participants reported still facing nightmares, intrusive thoughts, prolonged insomnia, and severe anxiety. The study indicates that many of these issues stem from memories of violence and war in Afghanistan. In recorded accounts from this research, some of these young individuals stated that reminders of family members' deaths or violent scenes increase their stress and even lead to physical pain. This study shows that some refugees are also experiencing physical symptoms resulting from psychological stress. Severe fatigue, chronic pain, and anxiety-related physical problems are among the issues reported by participants. Researchers added that this situation has, in some cases, led to limitations in daily activities and increased social isolation. They emphasized that loneliness and difficulties in establishing social relationships are among the most significant challenges faced by unaccompanied refugee children. However, researchers highlighted that some of these young people have managed to improve their mental health to some extent through supportive services, psychological counseling, social activities, and sports such as cricket, as well as building social connections. Ultimately, the study concludes that unaccompanied refugee children from Afghanistan are one of the most vulnerable groups in terms of mental health and require specialized, sustainable, and long-term support in host countries.

Carl Skau, the Director of Operations for the World Food Program, has recently stated that Afghanistan is facing the worst wave of malnutrition in its history, with five million children and mothers in need of treatment. Mr. Skau shared a message on his X account, reporting on his visit to a clinic near Jalalabad and calling for immediate funding and expedited humanitarian aid deliveries through Pakistan to Afghanistan. He emphasized that he witnessed desperate mothers returning empty-handed due to the depletion of specialized food for children and women. In his message, this UN official stressed the need for further actions to address the health challenges faced by the people. He also noted in another message that recent months have been particularly difficult for the people of Afghanistan. The Director of Operations for the World Food Program pointed out that the people of Afghanistan have endured significant hardships due to earthquakes, floods, conflicts with Pakistan, and the repercussions of the Middle East crisis. He added that the World Food Program team is working to assist the most vulnerable individuals, enhance access and empowerment for women, and improve lives. It is worth mentioning that this UN official expressed concern about the state of malnutrition and health challenges faced by the people of Afghanistan while citizens continue to live in poverty and food insecurity.