Afghanistan facing starvation, people sell children, WFP

The UN Head of World Food Program (WFP) has again expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and added that the Afghan people have resorted to selling their children and parts of their bodies to survive. WFP chief David Basely has urged the international community to expedite aid delivery to Afghanistan as over half of the population is starving in the country. Talking to German public state-owned international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) in Berlin, the WFP chief said, Afghanistan is struggling with drought, a pandemic, an economic collapse, and the effects of years of conflict. Some 24 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity. More than half the population will be facing famine this winter and 97 per cent of the population could fall below the poverty line this year. Basely said, Afghanistan was already one of the poorest countries in the world, with 20 years, at least, of conflict with the Taliban.

Basely reiterated that if billionaires of the world allocate the income of their single day to Afghanistan, it will end the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Basely added that lack of cash is the real challenge in Afghanistan not lack access of people in need to relief assistance. The WFP has estimated that they will need $2.6 billion to provide foodstuff to people in need in Afghanistan in the current year. The Afghan people have been going through the worst humanitarian situation in decades after the Taliban takeover on August 15 last year but the IEA has assured of special plans to end poverty in the country.

Meanwhile, As part of its ongoing humanitarian assistance, India has supplied the fourth batch of medical assistance consisting of three tons of essential life saving medicines to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul. External Affairs Ministry in a statement said that India stands committed to continue its special relationship with the people of Afghanistan and provide humanitarian assistance. In this endeavour, India had already supplied three shipments of medical assistance, consisting of 5 lakh doses of COVID vaccine and essential life saving medicines to Afghanistan.The Ministry said, the same was handed over to the World Health Organisation and India Gandhi Children Hospital, Kabul.