International Aid Cuts and Restrictions on Women Deepen Afghanistan’s Health Crisis

Afghanistan’s health system is in its most critical condition yet, due to a sharp decline in international support and sweeping restrictions on women’s education and work. In just 2026, about 150 health centres across the country have been closed or suspended because of funding shortages.

The World Health Organization has said the shutdown of these centres seriously threatens access to medical services for millions of Afghan citizens. At the same time, the return of migrants and a shortage of doctors, especially female doctors, have increased pressure on the country’s health sector.

Residents of Kunduz and Baghlan provinces have described the condition of local health centres as worrying, pointing to a lack of adequate facilities, a shortage of medicine and the absence of skilled doctors, especially in remote areas. Difficult road conditions have also made it harder to transport urgent patients to larger centres.

Since the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan in August 2021, aid from the international community to the country’s health sector has fallen sharply. At the same time, poor-quality services in private hospitals and the high cost of treatment have led the Taliban-run health ministry to assess these centres. According to the Taliban health ministry, of the 115 private hospitals evaluated, only two were classified at