Afghanistan and COVID-19

Preexisting healthcare and the strength of the economy of each nation were important factors in determining how populations fared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Afghanistan, a country that has one of the world’s weakest healthcare infrastructures and economies, exemplifies how the most vulnerable populations suffered more catastrophic consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic. Wellness Worldwide for Sustainable Communities is a nonprofit organization whose experience illustrates how the COVID-19 pandemic affected one of the poorest countries in the war. The organization, focused on healthcare, engaged in food aid because of severe food insecurity in Afghanistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a severe economic decline in an already weak economy and contributed to widespread hunger. Inadequate healthcare for those infected with COVID-19 in Afghanistan was worsened, notably when the caseload surged and the need for oxygen exceeded capacity. The lack of oxygen led to scores of preventable deaths. In the case of cancer patients, children with cancer were among the most vulnerable populations in the country. Due to the lack of cancer care within Afghanistan, cross-border travel is a necessity for obtaining treatment. Border closures during the pandemic prevented timely care for these patients, causing deaths. Soon after the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2021, the Taliban took control of the country. Withdrawal of foreign aid, sanctions, and freezing of Afghan state funds have led to a worsening economic crisis, which makes the potential for healthcare access and any future response to another pandemic questionable.