Bi-weekly Situation Report
No. 9 (May 01, 2021 – May 15, 2021)

Purpose:

This bi-weekly report describes the updates and challenges related to the government’s relief response program, known as Dastarkhan-e-Meli, and health assistance in combating Covid-19 in Afghanistan.

Time Coverage: The report covers all the measures undertaken from May 01, 2021 to May 15, 2021, by the government in Afghanistan concerning health and humanitarian assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Situation Overview:

1. Covid-19 New Update:During this period, the official report indicates a sharp increase in the number of positive cases, recoveries, and deaths. Due to a weak health system and mismanagement, however, more people prefer home-based treatment. As a result, it has made it difficult to track the exact numbers of positive cases.

1. During the reporting period, almost all provinces have received the Covid-19 vaccines. So far, mostly the government employees, including teachers, doctors, NGOs’ employees, security forces, and common public have been vaccinated. However, concerns are still in place as many people across the country avoid being vaccinated for the Covid-19 due to is alleged side-effects. And Yet, the government has failed to raise public awareness on its safety.

In Paktia province, the Taliban is considered a major obstacle on the way to Covid-19 vaccination as the group has closed 16 vaccination centers out of the total 21.

In the western Herat province, concerns are growing over the influx of returnees from Iran with a daily number of around 2000 to 3000 in a day. As Iran is still the hotspot of Covid-19, the refugees returning to Afghanistan have increased the concerns over the spread of the virus in western provinces such as Herat and Nimruz as the latter province is suffering from lack of vaccinators as well.

Also, Laghman province is suffering from lack of laboratory to test the Covid-19 samples as the are sent to Nangarhar province for test, a time-consuming process that undermines the anti-covid-19 efforts.

1. Dastarkhan-e-Melli Update:

1. Security threats posed by the Taliban have been a critical issue to the implementation of Dastarkhan-e- Melli.
2. Most provinces are waiting for budget to start the second round of Dastarkhan-e-Melli program.