The Directorate of Public Health in Panjshir has reported a rise in cases of malnourished children in the province. In the past two months alone, over 500 children have been affected by malnutrition, according to the Directorate. Some residents of Panjshir attribute this high number of malnourished children to factors such as poverty, inadequate food supplies, and lack of proper nutrition. They believe that the delayed arrival of relief aid from humanitarian organizations in remote areas of the province has contributed to the spread of this disease.
Malnutrition primarily results from an imbalanced diet or inadequate food consumption, affecting both adults and children. Children are particularly vulnerable to its severe consequences. Presently, some doctors attribute the growing number of malnutrition cases to the crisis of food shortages and insecurity in Afghanistan. They warn that the prevalence of poverty in the country is likely to exacerbate this issue.
Freshta, a mother of four children, waits for her malnourished child’s recovery at the clinic in Rokha District, Panjshir province. Her husband served as a soldier in the previous government’s army. In an interview with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, she reveals that her one-year-old son suffers from malnutrition due to inadequate food. Fereshta explains, “In recent days, my son has been battling malnutrition, and the doctors informed me that he hasn’t received sufficient and nourishing food. Despite my husband’s unemployment—he used to be a soldier—we often struggle to secure even basic sustenance, let alone proper nutrition for our children.”
Samiullah, another resident of Panjshir province, shares his heart-wrenching story with the Hasht-e Subh Daily while sitting outside the courtyard of the Emergency Hospital, where his two-year-old daughter is undergoing treatment for malnutrition. With tear-filled eyes and a choked voice, he opens up about his dire economic circumstances. He declares, “Don’t judge me by appearances; within me lies a mountain of pain. Prior to the Taliban’s rule, I worked as a security guard at a supermarket in Kabul. However, for the past two years, I have been unemployed, struggling day and night to afford even a loaf of bread. There were days when we had nothing to eat but a bitter concoction of tea with sugar and Talkhan. A few days ago, my wife fell ill, and I couldn’t even afford transportation to take her to the hospital. If it hadn’t been for the government hospital, I might have lost my daughter.”
According to residents of Panjshir province, the prevalence of poverty, inadequate food supplies, and lack of proper nutrition have resulted in a significant number of children suffering from malnutrition. They attribute the delayed arrival of humanitarian aid to remote areas of the province as another factor contributing to the spread of this disease. Arsalan, a resident of Panjshir province, shared with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “Due to the conflicts in the past year, the majority of Panjshir’s residents were unable to benefit from assistance provided by humanitarian organizations, as the Taliban prohibits aid distribution in remote areas of the province.” He further lamented, “In the past, we relied on subsistence farming, but since the Taliban’s arrival, they have deprived us of that as well. Their harassment and oppression have led to the destruction of our agricultural products, leaving us unable to safeguard them.”
The Taliban’s Directorate of Public Health in Panjshir province has released statistics indicating that 516 children have been diagnosed with malnutrition in the province over the past two months. Asadullah Nejat, the head of the Taliban’s Directorate of Public Health for Panjshir province, informed the media, “Out of these cases, 36 children are currently hospitalized in the Emergency Hospital and clinics in Rokha district, while others are receiving treatment at outpatient centers.” He stressed the deployment of mobile medical teams to different areas of Panjshir province to provide care for individuals suffering from malnutrition.
Meanwhile, healthcare experts highlight the crisis of food shortages and lack of food security in Afghanistan as contributing factors to the rising number of malnutrition cases. Mohammad Shafi Mushfiq, a former doctor at Parwan Public Hospital, expressed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that due to the extensive poverty in the country, it is likely that this disease will persist. He explained, “In certain areas, people’s lives have come to a standstill, and economic hardships prevent them from providing sufficient food for themselves and their families. Additionally, cultural practices that neglect proper nutrition for children also play a role.” He urged humanitarian organizations, particularly the World Food Programme (WFP), to prioritize this issue.
In late March 2023, local sources in Panjshir province accused the Taliban of obstructing the delivery of aid by humanitarian organizations to conflict-affected areas. According to the sources, the Taliban imposed restrictions on relief organizations operating in remote regions of the province, citing concerns about aid reaching families associated with the National Resistance Front (NRF). They claimed that the Taliban not only limited but also halted the operations of relief organizations. The Taliban governor further cautioned officials from these organizations against distributing aid without coordination. At that time, sources within the humanitarian organizations corroborated these reports.
