The ill state of Afghanistan’s healthcare
Concern as services fails to meet people’s needs, overly influenced by political and military considerations.
Afghanistan has one of the most inadequate healthcare systems in the world – something that contributes to a life expentancy of just 44 years – all this despite the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been pumped into the healthcare system over the last 12 years.
Medecins Sans Frontieres says Afghans are increasingly needing medical and humanitarian assistance. It is calling on donors and the Afghan government to take immediate action to address what it calls ‘serious shortcomings’ in health provisions.
On Inside Story we ask: What have the years of investment and aid achieved in war-torn Afghanistan?
Presenter: Shihab Rattansi
Guests: Dr Ahmed Jan Naeem: the Afghan deputy minister of public health
Christopher Stokes: general director, Doctors Without Borders
Heather Barr: senior researcher of Human Rights Watch