The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised alarm over a severe funding shortfall threatening humanitarian operations in Afghanistan. As of July 2025, only 53% of the $3.06 billion required for the 2024 response plan has been secured, leaving millions at risk of losing access to basic services. The warning comes amid a deepening economic crisis and rising health challenges in the country.
OCHA reports that over 10% of Afghanistan’s population may lose healthcare access by the end of 2025 due to declining international aid, particularly from the United States. The World Health Organization notes that 310 people died from infectious diseases like measles and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in May alone, with 24 mothers and 167 infants dying daily from preventable causes. Polio vaccination efforts are also under strain, with three vaccinators killed in Nangarhar in 2025, highlighting security risks to health workers.
The economic downturn has exacerbated food insecurity, with half of Afghanistan’s children living in severe food poverty, consuming only two food groups daily. Recent protests in Paktia against cross-border shelling from Pakistan further underscore the region’s instability, complicating aid delivery. OCHA has called for immediate international support to stabilize healthcare, water management, and food distribution systems, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts to prevent a worsening crisis.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, July 15th, 2025
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