WHO Warns Nearly Four Million Afghans Suffer from Drug Disorders
WHO Warns Nearly Four Million Afghans Suffer from Drug Disorders
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that nearly four million people in Afghanistan are affected by drug-related disorders, highlighting an urgent need to enhance health services to combat this growing crisis, Khaama Press reported. During a recent visit to Kabul, Hanan Balkhi, the WHO’s regional director, stressed the importance of strengthening healthcare infrastructure to address addiction challenges facing the country.
Balkhi visited a women and children’s addiction treatment center in Kabul, which has 100 beds, and commended the courage and determination of the women receiving care. She emphasized that everyone deserves the chance to recover and rebuild their lives.
The WHO official called for coordinated efforts among local and international partners to improve Afghanistan’s healthcare system. Her visit included meetings with key stakeholders such as the Taliban’s Health Minister, UN representatives, diplomats from China, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, and officials from the World Bank, European Union, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Discussions focused on eradicating polio, expanding addiction treatment, developing national health policies, and securing necessary funding.
Recent UN reports indicate a rise in injectable drug use in Afghanistan, even as traditional use of hashish and opium declines. The increasing prevalence of heroin and methamphetamine use presents new challenges, worsened by economic hardship, social stigma, and limited treatment access.
The WHO’s findings underscore the critical need for increased investment, international cooperation, and culturally appropriate treatment programs to effectively address addiction and improve public health in Afghanistan.
