Meeting on interim priorities for health sector begins

KABUL (Pajhwok):  The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are holding a high-level meeting on interim priorities for the health sector in Afghanistan over the next 18-24 months.

Beginning today (Tuesday) in Doha, the capital of Qatar, the meeting would concluded on March 31, a statement from WHO said.

Delegates from WHO, UNICEF, Qatar, Afghanistan, donors and other humanitarian partners are taking part in the meeting.

The participants will review gaps in health and nutrition service delivery and identify options for addressing them.

Progress and persistent gaps in humanitarian response and emergency risk management — including Covid-19, disease outbreaks and acute malnutrition — will also be discussed.

Elements of health system, (including workforce, supply chain management, coordination and governance requiring support and short-term solution will be identified and prioritised.

The participants will agree on approaches to support the implementation of the Afghanistan National Emergency Action Plan for Polio Eradication and leverage such assets in support of other humanitarian and development needs

According to the statement, the meeting will agree on approaches for strengthened accountability to the Afghan population

Additionally, it will also agree on general strategic directions to support the health sector, including monitoring the effectiveness of international support.

Afghanistan faces a combination of economic instability, severe drought, major food insecurity, rising malnutrition, forced displacements, the COVID-19 pandemic, other concurrent disease outbreaks and violent trauma.

These complex challenges have conspired to create one of the world’s largest and most rapidly evolving humanitarian crises.

pr/mud

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