The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its Afghanistan Health Emergency Situation Report No. 65, warning of rising infectious disease outbreaks, continued humanitarian pressures, and growing health needs across the country during June 2026.
According to the report, WHO trained 531 health workers
across 14 technical disciplines, distributed 372 medical kits, and supported
health facilities that provided 64,146 outpatient consultations during the
month. More than 3,000 children under the age of five received vaccinations,
while 47,009 people in remote and underserved communities benefited from health
education and awareness activities.
WHO reported a 174.4% increase in suspected Crimean-Congo
Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) cases compared with May, recording 483 suspected cases
and 21 deaths in June. The agency attributed the sharp rise largely to
increased exposure to livestock during the Eid al-Adha period.
The report also recorded 18,232 cases of acute watery
diarrhea (AWD) with dehydration and 14 associated deaths, a 33.6% increase from
the previous month. Suspected measles cases rose to 2,414, while confirmed
COVID-19 cases increased by 74% to 87. Suspected dengue fever cases also
increased by 13.8%, although no deaths were reported.
According to WHO, 905,189 returnees entered Afghanistan
through five major border crossings between January and June 2026, including 151,104
returnees in June alone, with 56% arriving from Pakistan. The agency warned
that the continued influx of returnees poses additional public health risks and
places further pressure on border health services.
WHO said it distributed medical supplies sufficient to
support approximately 850,800 beneficiaries, including emergency health kits,
trauma kits, pneumonia kits, primary healthcare kits, measles kits, and
noncommunicable disease kits. The agency also expanded cancer care and
noncommunicable disease services by training healthcare workers in several provinces.
The report identified the continued rise in acute watery
diarrhea and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, along with the large-scale return
of Afghans from neighboring countries, as the country's most pressing health
risks
