Afghanistan: A year of providing healthcare and institutional support

The nutrition component of the BHCs has also been strengthened through effective coordination and the mobilization of partners, including UNICEF and World Food Programme. In addition, the ICRC continues to supply Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to ARCS BHCs that are not supported by other organization within the United Nations’ nutrition cluster.

Primary Health Care remains a priority for the ICRC and its Movement partners as a vital support system for people in need across Afghanistan. The programme is essential not only for the well-being of local communities but also for maintaining the ICRC’s understanding of the heath sector environment and ensuring the sustainability of its humanitarian operations in the country.

To further support the provision of healthcare services, the Emergency Department Support (EDS) Programme of the ICRC continued to strengthen emergency medical response and care across Afghanistan in 2024–2025, addressing gaps in clinical capacity, infrastructure, and emergency preparedness. Efforts focused on improving Emergency Departments’ functionality, upgrading equipment and infrastructure, reinforcing staff competencies, and enhancing readiness for Mass-Casualty Incidents (MCIs).

In 2024, the ICRC’s support was provided to the Emergency Departments of the Ghazni Provincial Hospital (GPH), Ghazni Regional Hospital (GRH), Rukha District Hospital (RDH), Khost Provincial Hospital (KPH), and Tirinkot Provincial Hospital (TPH). In 2025, as support concluded for GPH, GRH, and RDH, the programme onboarded Paktya Regional Hospital (PRH), Baghlan Provincial Hospital (BPH), and the Office of Prisons Administration 50-Bed Hospital (OPA-50BH), demonstrating continued adaptation to evolving humanitarian and operational needs.

Through its Basic Emergency Care (BEC) training programme, the ICRC has delivered 16 (12 BEC and four BEC Training of Trainer) comprehensive sessions, equipping 256 health professionals including 115 women and 141 men with vital life-saving skills.