AGP Executive Report

Polio: WHO reports six new cases, bringing Afghanistan’s 2026 total to 42—double last year’s figure. The latest cases were in Kandahar, Nangarhar and Kabul. Substance-use care: WHO says 551 health workers, including 192 women, have been trained to identify and treat substance-use disorders and related mental-health conditions. Essential services: The EU has allocated €12 million for healthcare, nutrition and water services reaching more than 347,000 people across 28 districts, with emergency aid for another 39,175. Malnutrition: OCHA warns that one-third of nutrition centres have closed or suspended services amid funding shortages. More than four million children under six may need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027, as 19.2 million Afghans face acute food insecurity this winter.

Hunger and Malnutrition: The UN warns 19.2 million Afghans could face acute hunger this winter, including five million at emergency levels. More than four million children may need malnutrition treatment next year, as funding cuts have closed or suspended about one-third of nutrition sites. In Faryab’s Gurziwan district, more than 250 malnourished children reportedly have no nearby clinics. Polio: Six new cases have been reported, bringing Afghanistan’s 2026 total to 42. Health workers are urging families to vaccinate every child. Healthcare Access: A Kabul assessment found only two of 115 private hospitals earned the top grade. WHO says more than 27,000 people have received medical care in Afghanistan, while it warns that restrictions on women could deepen shortages of female health workers and limit women’s access to care.

Hunger and Malnutrition: The UN warns that 19.2 million Afghans could face acute food insecurity this winter, including five million at emergency levels. More than four million children under six may need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027, while about one-third of nutrition sites have closed or suspended services. Access to Care: In remote Nangarhar, a father walked three hours with his sick child to a health center, only to be told it could not provide treatment; he said families are often sent to buy medicines they cannot afford. Women’s Health: WHO says female healthcare workers help women access care and speak openly with providers, as funding shortfalls and restrictions threaten the already limited workforce. Infectious Disease Services: WHO reports that Kunduz’s infectious diseases hospital treated more than 27,000 outpatients in six months and admitted 2,114 patients, including 1,268 women.

Hunger & Nutrition: The UN warns 19.2 million Afghans could face acute food insecurity this winter, including 5 million at emergency levels. More than 4 million children under six may need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027. Winter Health Risks: Rising firewood and coal prices are leaving many families unable to afford heating as freezing weather approaches. Healthcare Access: WHO reports providing mental-health support to more than 1 million Afghans and healthcare services to over 68,000 people in Nangarhar and Laghman. Reproductive Care: Reports from Kabul say economic hardship is driving more women to seek abortions, while restrictions deter some from seeking care at public hospitals. Medicine & Food Supply: Border closures have pushed imports onto longer, costlier routes through Iran and Central Asia, adding to transport costs and pressure on household budgets.

Reproductive Health: Health sources report more women in Kabul seeking abortions amid worsening poverty; some cannot afford a doctor’s consultation, while Taliban restrictions are deterring care at public hospitals. Mental Health: WHO says it has provided mental health services to more than one million people in Afghanistan, trained health workers and supported mental health units in provincial hospitals. Healthcare Access: WHO-supported centres in Nangarhar and Laghman served more than 68,000 people, including women, children and returnees, with primary, maternal and child health, nutrition and vaccination services. Hunger and Nutrition: UN agencies warn 19.2 million Afghans could face acute food insecurity this winter, while more than four million children may need malnutrition treatment in 2027. Polio: Afghanistan remains one of only two countries where wild polio is endemic; a new case in Pakistan underscores the need to sustain vaccination and surveillance across the region.

Food and Nutrition: Afghanistan faces a worsening winter crisis: nearly 19.2 million people are projected to experience acute food insecurity from November through April, including five million at emergency levels. Nearly four million children may need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027, as aid groups warn support is inadequate. Children’s Health: UNICEF has stressed the need for quality medicines for children and families in Afghanistan. Early Development: A study in Pakistan and Afghanistan found that parenting education offered through routine health clinics improved parents’ confidence and interactions with newborns. Polio Watch: A new polio case was reported in Nangarhar’s Surkh Rod district, underscoring the need to sustain immunization efforts.

Medicines: UNICEF says reliable access to quality medicines is essential for Afghan children and families, and is exploring regional supply partnerships as shortages and limited healthcare access continue to affect remote communities. Newborn Care: A study in Pakistan and Afghanistan found that parenting classes integrated into routine clinic visits boosted parents’ confidence and responsive care for newborns, offering a practical way to reach families. Hunger and Malnutrition: Aid agencies warn that nearly 19.2 million Afghans could face hunger this winter, while more than four million children may need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027 as aid cuts deepen the crisis.

Food and Nutrition: The UN warns that 15.9 million Afghans face acute food insecurity, rising to nearly 19.2 million over winter. About 4.04 million children under five may need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027. At Kabul’s main children’s hospital, all 20 malnutrition beds are full; aid agencies are calling for urgent funding. Healthcare Access: Public Health Minister Noor Jalal Jalali says 30-bed hospitals are planned for 318 districts, with construction underway in some areas. Residents hope the facilities will spare patients dangerous trips to distant clinics. Medical Cooperation: Jalali and a Russian delegation discussed training Afghan health workers and expanding cooperation in cancer and heart-disease care. Water and Child Health: UNICEF says access to safe water in schools helps protect children’s health.

Malnutrition: Afghanistan’s main children’s hospital has filled all 20 beds in its malnutrition ward as hunger worsens. Aid agencies warn 19.2 million people could face acute hunger this winter, while more than four million children may need malnutrition treatment in 2027. Healthcare access: The Public Health Minister says 30-bed hospitals are planned for 318 districts; construction has begun in Dand Patan, where patients have faced dangerous journeys to reach care. Women’s health: The EU says restrictions on women’s work and public life hinder humanitarian healthcare, including women’s access to services and aid. Returning families: More than 4,500 Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan in a week and received food, drinking water, healthcare and transport. Polio: A new case was reported in Nangarhar’s Surkh Rod district, underscoring the need for continued vaccination and disease surveillance.

Returnees: 4,528 Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan over the past week; officials say families received food, drinking water, healthcare and transport. Nutrition Emergency: Afghanistan’s hunger crisis is at record levels, with 15.9 million people facing acute food insecurity. More than 4 million children are expected to need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027, as aid cuts and poor access to clean water and nutrition services deepen the crisis. Polio: A new case was reported in Nangarhar’s Surkh Rod district, renewing concern over vaccination and disease surveillance. Medical Training: Pakistan’s Lahore High Court extended protection from deportation for Afghan medical students, allowing them to continue their studies for now, subject to visa and immigration requirements.

Polio: A new case has been reported in Nangarhar’s Surkh Rod district as the UAE renews its pledge to accelerate global eradication efforts. Child Nutrition: UNICEF and Action Against Hunger warn that more than four million Afghan children may need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027, including 1.09 million with severe cases; 19.2 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity this winter. Girls’ and Maternal Health: UNICEF says restrictions on girls’ education are making it harder for pregnant women to access healthcare. Drought and poverty are also pushing some families to promise very young daughters in marriage, putting their future health at risk. Healthcare Access: More than six million people in Afghanistan received health services, UNICEF reports; the OIC has pledged to cover heart surgery for children, and a community-funded health center has been completed in Ghazni.

Child Malnutrition: A UN-backed assessment warns that 4.04 million Afghan children under five will need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027, including nearly 1.1 million with severe cases. Some 15.9 million people already face acute food insecurity, and about one-third of nutrition sites have closed or suspended services. Polio: WHO has reported a new case in Nangarhar, underscoring the need to sustain vaccination in Afghanistan, one of the last countries where wild polio remains endemic. Access to Care: In Bamyan, MSF says a pregnant woman travelled more than four hours by donkey to reach a clinic, highlighting the barriers to essential healthcare in remote areas. Public Safety: A man in Nangarhar died after an unexploded device he found detonated; police urged residents not to touch suspicious objects.

Malnutrition Crisis: Afghanistan is facing record hunger and child malnutrition. An IPC forecast says 4.04 million children under five may need acute-malnutrition treatment in 2027, including nearly 1.1 million with severe cases. Aid cuts are deepening the crisis, and 19.2 million people could face crisis-level hunger or worse this winter. Safe Water: UNICEF says clean water, sanitation and soap in schools help protect children from disease, and it is working to expand access across Afghanistan. Medicine Supply: A report says medicines banned from import in Pakistan are still reaching Afghan markets through smuggling, raising concerns about the country’s drug supply. Polio Watch: A new polio case has been reported in Nangarhar’s Surkh Rod district. Rural Care: MSF says a pregnant woman in Bamyan travelled more than four hours by donkey to reach a clinic, underscoring the barriers to care in remote areas. a community-funded health centre has also been completed in Ghazni.

Medicine Supply: Pakistani medicines remain widely available in southern Afghanistan despite the import ban. A Kandahar seller described regular smuggling through Spin Boldak and alleged payments to Pakistani soldiers and Taliban members along the route. Polio: WHO reports a new case in Surkh Rod, Nangarhar; doctors are calling for stronger vaccination outreach and public awareness. Child Health: More than 111,000 children were hospitalized for malnutrition in Afghanistan in one month, according to a UN report. Access to Care: MSF says donkeys are sometimes the only way to reach clinics in Bamyan, while a community-funded health center has been completed in Ghazni. Humanitarian Support: The Afghan Red Crescent and UK envoy Richard Lindsay discussed expanding healthcare and aid for returnees, disaster survivors and other vulnerable people. The group’s services include cardiac treatment for children and mental-health support.

Polio: WHO has reported a new case in Nangarhar’s Surkh Rod district, prompting doctors to call for stronger public awareness and wider vaccination campaigns. Maternal Care: UNICEF says restrictions on girls’ education and women working in healthcare are making it harder for pregnant women and mothers to get medical care, as the country faces high maternal and newborn death rates. Humanitarian Needs: More than 111,000 children were reportedly hospitalized for malnutrition in Afghanistan in one month, while over six million people have received health services. Local Access: Residents funded a new health center in Ghazni’s Jaghatu district, reducing the need to travel long distances for care. MSF says some pregnant women in Bamiyan still travel for hours by donkey to reach a clinic. Children’s Care: The OIC has pledged to cover surgery costs for Afghan children with heart defects.

Medical Workforce: Pakistani authorities have ordered Afghan medical graduates and students at institutions in Bannu and Swat to stop house jobs or studies, vacate accommodation and leave, adding pressure to Afghanistan’s strained health workforce. Maternal Care: MSF says a pregnant woman travelled more than four hours by donkey to reach a clinic in Bamyan to give birth, underscoring the barriers facing people in remote areas. Disease and Child Health: WHO reported a new polio case in Nangarhar; UNICEF says more than six million people in Afghanistan have received health services, while over 111,000 children were hospitalised for malnutrition in one month. Winter Vulnerability: IOM reports that 54% of Afghan returnees cannot meet basic needs as winter approaches.