Thread by @WHO

.@DrTedros and @WHOEMRO's Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari concluded their visit to Kabul. #Afghanistan’s health system is on the brink of collapse. Unless urgent action is taken, the country faces an imminent humanitarian catastrophe 👉 bit.ly/3nUKLee #StayAndDeliver

@DrTedros @WHOEMRO @WHOAfghanistan @UN_News_Centre @UNNewsArabic The visit allowed @DrTedros and Dr Al-Mandhari to witness the immediate needs of the Afghan people firsthand and meet with stakeholders to define ways to urgently scale up our health response. bit.ly/3nUKLee #StayAndDeliver

@DrTedros @WHOEMRO @WHOAfghanistan @UN_News_Centre @UNNewsArabic Cuts in donor support to #Afghanistan’s health project Sehetmandi have left thousands of health facilities without funding for medical supplies & salaries for health staff. With reduced operations, health providers are forced to make hard decisions on who to save & who to let die

@DrTedros @WHOEMRO @WHOAfghanistan @UN_News_Centre @UNNewsArabic Only 17% of all Sehatmandi health facilities in #Afghanistan are fully functional. This breakdown in health services is having a rippling effect on the availability of basic & essential health care, emergency response, polio eradication, & #COVID19 vaccination efforts.

@DrTedros @WHOEMRO @WHOAfghanistan @UN_News_Centre @UNNewsArabic 9 of 37 #COVID19 🏥 have already closed & all aspects of the response have dropped, incl surveillance, testing & vaccination. Swift action is needed to work towards reaching the national goal of vaccinating at least 20% of the population by the end of 2021 bit.ly/3nUKLee

@DrTedros @WHOEMRO @WHOAfghanistan @UN_News_Centre @UNNewsArabic #Afghanistan is one of two countries in the world where #polio remains endemic. However, the polio programme will struggle to respond if the basic immunization infrastructure begins to collapse around it. bit.ly/3nUKLee #StayAndDeliver

@DrTedros @WHOEMRO @WHOAfghanistan @UN_News_Centre @UNNewsArabic WHO particularly emphasizes the need for women to maintain access to education, health care, and to the health workforce. With fewer health facilities operational and less female health workers reporting to work, female patients are hesitant to seek care.
bit.ly/3nUKLee

@DrTedros @WHOEMRO @WHOAfghanistan @UN_News_Centre @UNNewsArabic WHO is committed to:
1) working with partners to invest in the health education of girls & women, & continue training female health workers
2) support an extensive trauma programme that includes training, supplies and equipment for 130 hospitals and 67 blood banks
#StayAndDeliver

@DrTedros @WHOEMRO @WHOAfghanistan @UN_News_Centre @UNNewsArabic .@DrTedros and Dr Al-Mandhari reiterate WHO’s long-term commitment to advancing the health of all people in #Afghanistan and remind all stakeholders of our collective obligations today and in the months and years ahead. bit.ly/3nUKLee #StayAndDeliver