Jaffer Shah|Sedighe Karimzadeh|Tareq Mohammed Ali AL-Ahdal|Sayed Hamid Mousavi|Shafi Ullah Zahid|Nguyen Tien Huy
COVID-19: the current situation in Afghanistan
Drexel University|Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences|Jordan University of Science and Technology|World Health Organization - Afghanistan|Nagasaki University
march 11 2020 declared outbreak coronavirus disease 2019 covid19 originated wuhan china since spread around world global pandemic march 25 2020 413 467 cases covid19 confirmed 180 countries territories least 18 000 deaths reported around world covid19 establishing foothold impoverished wartorn nations afghanistan1whocoronavirus disease 2019 covid19 situation report65httpswwwwhointdocsdefaultsourcecoronavirusesituationreports20200325sitrep65covid19pdfsfvrsn2b74edd82date march 25 2020date accessed march 24 2020google scholar although healthcare system afghanistan improved past 17 years question preparedness prompt functional response covid19 outbreak afghanistan seeing rapid rise covid19 cases feb 24 2020 afghanistan ministry public health reported one individual confirmed covid19 western province herat number confirmed cases covid19 afghanistan since increased march 25 2020 75 confirmed cases covid19 across 12 provinces afghanistan one death attributed covid19 40yearold man balkh province previous travel history two people reported recovered2whoafghanistan brief covid19 19 25 march 2020httpswwwhumanitarianresponseinfositeswwwhumanitarianresponseinfofilesdocumentsfilesdailybriefcovid1925march2020pdfdate march 25 2020date accessed march 24 2020google scholar ministry health education afghanistan suspended schooling restricted nowruz persian new year celebrations curb pandemic controlling epidemic afghanistan complicated diverse set problems including influx afghan refugees neighbouring iran officials western province herat documented thousands people passing border iran every day another concern low public awareness covid19 low health literacy exemplified one individual confirmed covid19 37 people suspected covid19 leaving quarantine risking transmission covid19 communities furthermore cultural norms shaking hands hugging community gatherings mosques still largely remain open paucity masks effective handwashing technique aggravate crisis moreover afghanistans fragile economy infrastructure relies heavily imports neighbouring countries dependency border restrictions put place effective controlling transmission afghanistan home 316 million people 715 live rural areas3islamic republic afghanistan national statistics information authorityafghanistan statistical yearbook 201819httpswwwnsiagovaf8080wpcontentuploads201911afghanistanstatisticalyearbook201819compressedpdfdate july 2019date accessed march 24 2020google scholar according reports4whoafghanistan brief covid19 18 23 march 2020httpsreliefwebintsitesreliefwebintfilesresourcesdailybriefcovid1923march2020pdfdate march 23 2020date accessed march 24 2020google scholar single national isolation centre capacity 100 beds regional provincial isolation centres total capacity 991 beds currently operational afghanistan one central public health laboratory afghanistans capital kabul currently diagnostic tests covid19 maximum capacity 50 tests per day costing us1600 per diagnostic kit absence local laboratories diagnostic tests covid19 creates considerable delays treating isolating patients hospitals distant parts country another concerning issue shortage healthcare workers 94 skilled health professionals 19 physicians per 10 000 individuals afghanistan physicians disproportionately distributed across country 72 physicians per 10 000 people urban areas 06 physicians per 10 000 rural areas5whoa universal truth health without workforce world health organisation reporthttpswwwwhointworkforceallianceknowledgeresourcesghwaauniversaltruthreportpdfua1date november 2013date accessed march 24 2020google scholar according whos global health workforce alliance 228 skilled health workers per 10 000 people required countries execute essential health interventions5whoa universal truth health without workforce world health organisation reporthttpswwwwhointworkforceallianceknowledgeresourcesghwaauniversaltruthreportpdfua1date november 2013date accessed march 24 2020google scholar high levels financial insecurity low levels personal safety remote provinces large direct negative effect provision coverage health services general public healthcare staff overall literacy rate 3174 afghanistan6the united nations educationalscientific cultural organizationeducation number outofschool children primary school agehttpdatauisunescoorgindexaspxqueryid121date accessed march 24 2020google scholar community awareness imperative public health sanitation hygiene practices efficient infection prevention strategies must raised alternative method written word according reports7united nations office coordination humanitarian affairsafghanistan weekly humanitarian update 16 march22 march 2020httpsreliefwebintsitesreliefwebintfilesresourcesafghanistanhumanitarianweekly22marchpdfdate march 25 2020date accessed march 24 2020google scholar almost 45 800 people displaced conflicts 24 500 people affected natural disasters afghanistan 2020 alone afghanistan still endemic emerging infectious diseases poliomyelitis measles inadequate healthcare services afghanistan many ill people try seek medical care oversees wide travel restrictions flight suspensions come force country march 25 2020 international organization migration reports approximately 136 400 afghans returned iran high risk covid19 however afghan authorities locked three cities afghanistaniran border7united nations office coordination humanitarian affairsafghanistan weekly humanitarian update 16 march22 march 2020httpsreliefwebintsitesreliefwebintfilesresourcesafghanistanhumanitarianweekly22marchpdfdate march 25 2020date accessed march 24 2020google scholar strongly urge regional powers unite collaborative effort address serious risk posed covid19 afghanistan greater international community declare competing interests js sk contributed equally correspondence