The Afghanistan Hospital Struggling to Save Its Starving Babies

Warning: This story contains distressing details. "This feels like the end of the world for me," Amina says, her voice filled with grief. She has lost six children, none of whom lived beyond the age of three. Now, her seventh child, Bibi Hajira, is fighting for her life. Seven-month-old Bibi Hajira weighs as much as a newborn. She suffers from severe malnutrition and shares a bed at a hospital in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Amina, her mother, speaks in anguish, "My children are dying because of poverty. I can only give them dry bread and water warmed by the sun." Sadly, Amina's story is not unique. Across Afghanistan, 3.2 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, a crisis that has worsened over the years due to war, poverty, and the country's instability since the Taliban took control.

In a hospital room filled with silence, the only sounds are the beeps of a heart monitor. There are 18 toddlers sharing seven beds, too weak to move or cry. In the bed next to Bibi Hajira lies Sana, a three-year-old whose mother passed away during childbirth. Her aunt Laila has lost seven children herself. On another bed, a small boy named Ilham, who is three but looks much younger, struggles as his skin peels from his fragile body. Nearby, one-year-old Asma lies in an oxygen mask, her eyes barely blinking. Dr. Sikandar Ghani, watching over her, fears the worst. "I don’t think she will survive," he says. Less than an hour after our visit, Asma passed away. In just six months, 700 children have died at this hospital. Yet, many lives are saved thanks to the help of agencies like the World Bank and UNICEF. But funding has dwindled since the Taliban took over in August 2021, causing Afghanistan’s healthcare system to collapse.

Despite limited resources, dedicated doctors like Dr. Ghani continue to save lives. Bibi Hajira, once in a fragile state, has improved and been discharged. But the challenges persist. Afghanistan’s struggling healthcare system and lack of international support leave many children without the care they need. Dr. Ghani urges for more medicines, staff, and funding to prevent more deaths. Many of these children’s stories never reach the hospital. Only one out of five sick children get the care they need in Jalalabad. The rest suffer in silence, like three-month-old Aaliya, who was moved into Asma’s bed right after her death, her parents barely able to process the loss before fighting for another child's life. The pressure on hospitals continues to grow, worsened by the return of Afghan refugees deported from Pakistan. Outside the hospital, malnutrition is rampant. Almost half of Afghan children under five are stunted, growing slower than they should. Robina's son, Mohammed, cannot stand yet at two years old. "We can't even afford food, let alone treatment," Robina says. Time and again, it’s proven that timely intervention saves lives. But the aid programs designed to fight malnutrition in Afghanistan are facing severe cuts. Families like that of Sardar Gul, whose eight-month-old son Mujib was saved through an aid program, know the importance of quick action. Mujib's weight has improved with nutritional help, but many other children remain at risk. The future of Afghanistan's children hangs in the balance. Without the necessary help, both physical and mental harm will continue to plague the next generation. Dr. Ghani and his team remain committed to saving lives, but they know that without more support, the future is bleak. ⚡ Image Credit: GettyImages