WHO: Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health Problems in Afghanistan Have Become a Silent Crisis

Image Credit: World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization (WHO), in its latest report, has warned that non-communicable diseases and mental health problems in Afghanistan have become a silent yet devastating crisis, with women being the most affected.

According to the report, published on Sunday (September 21), heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory illnesses account for 43 percent of annual deaths in Afghanistan, a figure projected to rise to more than 60 percent by 2030, mainly among women. Heart disease alone takes more than 40,000 lives each year, placing Afghanistan among the countries with the highest mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases.

Cancer also weighs heavily on women. Breast and cervical cancer are among the three most common types, but most patients seek medical help only in advanced stages, when treatment is far less effective.

The report adds that the mental health of the Afghan population has also become one of the serious yet overlooked concerns. According to statistics, one in five Afghans lives with a mental health condition, and more than half of the families who returned from Pakistan and Iran in the past year have suffered from anxiety, depression, or stress.

However, many provincial hospitals and primary health centers still lack psychiatric units, leaving thousands of families, particularly vulnerable women and children, without access to health services.

WHO’s representative in Afghanistan, Dr. Edwin Ceniza Salvador, said:

“Millions of people across Afghanistan carry the daily burden of chronic diseases and mental health problems. This situation places enormous pressure on the country’s fragile health system. Beyond physical illness, psychological suffering continues to affect families and communities. This reality shows that our shared responsibility, from WHO to national institutions and donors, is to expand access to health and mental health services and support the most vulnerable.”

The report comes at a time when women in Afghanistan face serious barriers to accessing health services, including the ban on being examined by male doctors, the requirement to have a male guardian when visiting medical centers, and the prohibition on girls’ education in medical fields. These restrictions have intensified the health crisis and left the majority of women and girls deprived of medical care.