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Afghanistan: Long and dangerous road

After over a decade of international aid and investment, Afghans still struggle to access critical medical care due to insecurity, distance, cost, or the dysfunction of many health facilities. There has been some progress, but maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan remain among the highest in the world, casualties from violence are mounting, and unmet medical and humanitarian needs continue to soar.

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) runs a specialised trauma centre in Kunduz in the north of the country, as well as maternity hospital in Khost in the east. MSF also works alongside the Ministry of Public Health, supporting Ahmad Shah Baba district hospital in eastern Kabul, and Boost provincial hospital in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province. Over the past year, the number of patients treated by MSF has nearly doubled - a clear indication of the enormous medical needs in Afghanistan.

Rèmi Carrier is the Executive Director of MSF Hong Kong.