WHO: Threefold rise in trauma cases in Afghanistan

August 19, 2021

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there has been more than threefold rise in number of trauma cases in Afghanistan.

Highlights

WHO urged that, delivery of lifesaving aid and medical supplies to Afghans must not be cut.
As per WHO, 70 WHO-supported medical facilities across Afghanistan treated some 14,000 conflict-related cases in the month of August.
Number of cases has increased from 4,057 cases last year.
WHO has dispatched trauma and burns kit equipment to Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital in Kabul and basic medical kits to assist 10,000 people for three months.

Background

Number has increased amid the intensification of violence in Afghanistan. Taliban took over the Afghan’s capital Kabul on August 15, 2021 following months of an offensive against civilians and Afghan forces.

What are the concerns?

With the takeover by Taliban, concerns regarding safety of minorities, rights defenders and others have increased in Afghanistan. Human Rights Council also announced a special session to address human rights concerns.

Taliban Offensive

Military offensive by the Taliban against the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan started on May 1, 2021. It coincided with the withdrawal of United States and allied troops from Afghanistan. In first three months, Taliban made significant advances in the countryside and gradually the number of districts it controlled increased from 73 to 223. Taliban launched an assault on provincial capitals of Afghanistan on August 6. Most of the towns surrendered without a fight. Taliban captured all provincial capitals except Bazarak. President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country on August 15 and the Taliban captured Kabul. Thus, Afghanistan’s government fell.

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