Health
Objective: Increasing access of women and children to quality basic health services
Program FAQs
How much has USAID spent to date on health care programs?
Between 2002 and 2007, USAID invested $422 million into improving health care services in Afghanistan, and spent an estimated $66 million in 2008.
What is USAID doing to improve health services in Afghanistan?
Afghanistan has one of the highest mortality rates in the world – one in four children dies before the age of five and life expectancy is only 45 years for women and 47 for men. While these statistics are tragic, there has been progress. Through a variety of health programs, more than 8.5 million people annually in 13 provinces served by USAID have better access to quality health care. Additionally, thanks to efforts by USAID, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), and the international community, child mortality has dropped by 26% since 2002. (Reported by the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan).
USAID has prioritized provision of basic health care for rural communities with a primary focus on women and children. USAID has been working very closely with the MoPH to provide essential services to the Afghan people through programs that:
- Deliver basic healthcare in 13 provinces through which approximately 750,000 patients, 70% of whom are women and children, receive treatment and counseling monthly from USAID-trained community healthcare workers.
- Train and mentor health providers and MoPH staff at the national, provincial, district, and community levels to improve the coverage and quality of health service delivery. USAID has trained nearly 17,000 health workers (as of October 2008), including pre-service training for midwives and community health workers and in-service training for doctors, midwives, and nurses.
- Work to eradicate polio: Afghanistan is one of the four remaining countries in the world with live polio virus. USAID supports the national Polio Eradication Initiative and provided $1.5 million in FY2006 to UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). Nearly 7 million children, or 90% of children under the age of five, have been vaccinated against polio to date.
- Control TB: USAID has supported tuberculosis (TB) control efforts through the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS)/ Essential Package of Hospital Services (EPHS) delivery system and provided assistance to upgrade laboratory services in the nationwide TB control program.
USAID provides ongoing technical assistance for key components of the National TB Program and engages both central and provincial managers in developing their management and leadership skills to focus on results and accountability.
- Expand health knowledge: USAID works with private businesses to expand distribution of health products, disseminate public health messages about issues such as safe drinking water and birth spacing, and make more products and services available to citizens in a cost-effective way. The shops benefit from the profits of the nearly 23 million health products sold to date, and more people than ever have access to needed healthcare, hygiene, and family-planning products.
How does USAID coordinate its health programs with other donors?
The international community has made a commitment to eliminate duplication of efforts and work together for cost-effective aid in Afghanistan. In addition to USAID, there are two major international donors supporting the Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan – the European Commission (EC) and the World Bank. Both the EC and the World Bank support the Afghan Ministry of Public Health in delivery of the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS). To ensure efficient aid delivery, USAID coordinates health programs with other major donors through regularly scheduled coordination meetings, including the Consultative Group on Health and Nutrition, the Technical Advisory Group, and Quarterly Donors’ Coordination Meetings.
Does Afghanistan have an HIV/AIDS problem?
USAID recognizes the potential for HIV/AIDS to threaten the prosperity, stability, and development of Afghanistan. At present, there are few signs of a significant HIV/AIDS crisis in Afghanistan, although there is a growing epidemic concentrated among high-risk groups. Those most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS include intravenous drug users, men who engage in risky sexual behavior, commercial sex workers, and truckers. To help at-risk individuals, USAID has initiated a number of social and economic programs to lift these groups out of poverty and provide them with quality health care, education, and job opportunities.