OCHA: Closure of Hundreds of Afghan Health and Nutrition Centers Due to Budget Cuts
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced that 298 nutrition centers across Afghanistan have been shut down due to severe funding shortages.
OCHA shared the update today (Tuesday, June 3) on the social media platform X, warning of an increasingly dire nutrition crisis in the country. This comes as the World Food Programme (WFP) projects that over 3.5 million children in Afghanistan are at risk of malnutrition this year.
In addition to the closure of nutrition centers, OCHA confirmed that more than 420 health centers have also been forced to shut down, and 13 health projects have been suspended due to lack of funding.
According to OCHA, the funding shortfall has led to the suspension of aid projects worth $145 million, severely impacting food assistance and other life-saving services. The organization stressed that the effects of the funding crisis are far-reaching and called for urgent international support to assist those in need.
The humanitarian situation has worsened following the suspension of U.S. financial aid. OCHA stated that in 2024, the U.S. provided 45% of the requested funding for Afghanistan, but this year, millions of Afghans are expected to receive significantly less aid due to the cuts.
Humanitarian organizations are urging the international community to respond swiftly to prevent a deepening crisis and avoid further harm to vulnerable populations.
