Health
Up to 8 children dying daily in Kabul hospital from malnutrition: Source
As many as eight children die each day from malnutrition at just one hospital in Kabul, a reliable source told Ariana News on Wednesday.
According to the source, who asked not to be named, the deaths have happened at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul.
However, hospital officials have denied the claims and said they have recorded only one death from malnutrition in the past month.
Malnutrition among children across Afghanistan has raised serious concerns in the past few months.
Last month, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan warned that one million Afghan children could die from severe acute malnutrition if “urgent actions” are not taken.
Hasib Rahimzai Wardag, chief of the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital, said on Wednesday: “We have two wards for malnutrition – one which involves medium-level treatment and supply of materials and the other involves acute cases requiring hospitalization. We had only one death among the patients in beds during the past one month.”
Meanwhile, patients and visitors at the hospital have complained about a number of issues including the lack of discipline among staff, the lack of medicine and medical supplies, and the mistreatment of patients at the facility.
“There is no accountability and we wait so long for doctors. My patient is suffering from both malnutrition and a cleft palate. They should attend to people. We buy all the medicines. There is nothing in the hospital,” said Zarlasht, a relative of one patient.
Humaira, a relative of another patient, said: “I have been at the hospital for one month. I don’t understand why the doctors are not telling me what the child is suffering from and why he is not recovering.”
UNICEF meanwhile has also warned that some 3.2 million children under the age of five are at risk of severe malnutrition in Afghanistan by the end of the year as a result of the country’s severe humanitarian crisis.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, met on Wednesday with Edwin Ceniza Salvador, the representative of the World Health Organization in Afghanistan, to discuss efforts to strengthen capacity across key areas of the health sector.
According to the Ministry of Public Health, discussions focused on mental health, cancer care, polio eradication, migrant health services, and the development of laboratory systems.
In a statement, the ministry said it remains fully committed to reinforcing the country’s healthcare system and is working closely with international partners to ensure the delivery of quality services to all citizens.
The WHO representative reaffirmed the organization’s continued support, highlighting its readiness to assist the ministry in capacity-building initiatives, service improvement, and broader health sector development.
Health
First endoscopic nasal tumour surgery successfully performed at Balkh regional hospital
The achievement highlights growing surgical capacity at the regional facility.
A landmark medical procedure has been carried out at Abu Ali Sina Balkhi Regional Hospital in Balkh province, where doctors have successfully performed a Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) to remove a nasal tumour for the first time.
The operation was conducted by the hospital’s Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist team on a 45-year-old patient who had been suffering from persistent nasal congestion and headaches. Hospital officials said the patient responded well to the procedure and was discharged in good condition following post-operative observation.
The achievement highlights growing surgical capacity at the regional facility.
According to hospital data, the ENT department treated 23,726 patients during the 1404 solar year. Of these, 881 patients required admission, while 874 underwent major surgical procedures.
Officials say the figures reflect both rising demand for specialised care and the expanding capabilities of the hospital’s ENT unit in northern Afghanistan.
Health
Afghanistan launches first nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2026
The three-day campaign aims to vaccinate approximately 12.6 million children under the age of five, according to the ministry.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, with support from international partners, has launched the first nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2026.
The three-day campaign aims to vaccinate approximately 12.6 million children under the age of five, according to the ministry.
Officials said the initiative is a key step toward preventing the spread of the poliovirus and strengthening child health nationwide.
The ministry confirmed that the campaign has been postponed in Daikundi and Bamiyan provinces due to cold weather conditions, while in Ghor province it will be conducted one week later.
Minister of Public Health Noor Jalal Jalali said at the launch that the ministry, in cooperation with international partners, remains committed to preventing the spread of polio and working toward its complete eradication in Afghanistan.
He called on religious scholars, community leaders, and families to actively support vaccination teams and contribute to the success of the nationwide campaign.
The Ministry of Public Health warned that polio is a dangerous viral disease with no cure and can only be prevented through vaccination. It added that the disease can cause permanent paralysis or even death in children if not prevented.
Health teams will be deployed across the country during the campaign to ensure effective implementation, and families have been urged to bring their children under five years of age to designated vaccination points.
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