Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths: Statement on Central Emergency Response Fund allocation to Afghanistan

I am releasing US$45 million in life-saving support from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund to help prevent Afghanistan’s health-care system from collapse.

Medicines, medical supplies and fuel are running out in Afghanistan. Cold chains are compromised. Essential health-care workers are not being paid.

Allowing Afghanistan’s health-care delivery system to fall apart would be disastrous. People across the country would be denied access to primary health care such as emergency caesarian sections and trauma care.

The funding will go to WHO and UNICEF and - working through national and international NGOs - will keep health-care facilities, including hospitals treating COVID-19 patients, operating until the end of the year.

The UN is determined to stand by the people of Afghanistan in their hour of need.

Geneva/New York, 22 September 2021