A Third Wave of COVID-19 Has Overwhelmed Afghanistan

Since the beginning of June, a third wave of COVID-19 has overwhelmed Afghanistan’s state healthcare system, which is already under strain due to a deterioration in the conflict.

“The situation is dramatic. COVID hospitals have no more beds, there are no real intensive care units, there is huge difficulty finding oxygen. And the ongoing fighting in 26 provinces makes the distribution of medical supplies even more complicated.”

Marco Puntin, EMERGENCY’s Programme Coordinator in Afghanistan

According to sources, positives cases increased by 2,400 percent in June alone, while the ability to test the population is reduced: since the start of the pandemic, only 541,735 swab tests have been performed, out of a population of more than 40 million people.

To reduce the risk of contagion, we are continuing to apply safety protocols in all our hospitals and clinics across the country, and taking preventive measures to avoid outbreaks among hospitalised patients.

Meanwhile, only 0.38% of the Afghan population has been fully vaccinated, due to an insufficient number of doses being shipped to the country so far. Only an adequate vaccination campaign will allow the Afghan people to escape this pandemic.