MSF: Some Families in Afghanistan Cannot Afford to Transport Their Patients to Health Centers

In a statement released on Tuesday (July 16), the organization mentioned that nearly all children in some remote villages in Afghanistan suffer from malnutrition.

MSF, which is active in treating children with malnutrition in Herat, Kandahar, and Helmand, cited family women saying they do not even have the money to transport their sick relatives to health centers.

Roya, a mother whose child was hospitalized for two weeks at one of MSF's health centers, said that due to the dire economic situation, nearly all children in her village suffer from malnutrition.

Fatima, another woman, added, "They [the villagers] don't even have 50 or 100 Afghanis for the fare to bring their children here [to the health center] for treatment."

Some mothers have told MSF that due to inadequate nutrition, they are unable to produce milk for their infants.

One of these mothers said, "When he [her child] was born, he was healthy, but I didn't have enough milk. Formula made my baby sick."

However, Doctors Without Borders noted that last year, they provided health services to 10,400 children with malnutrition in Herat, Kandahar, and Helmand.

The organization also mentioned that from the beginning of 2024 until last April, they have provided health services to 6,900 children in Herat and Kandahar.

It is worth noting that since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, the economic capacity of families has significantly decreased, leading to a rise in malnutrition among children.

Last month, the World Food Programme (WFP) also announced that three million children in Afghanistan are suffering from malnutrition.