More Than 644,000 Children Treated for Diarrhea Across Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health says seasonal diseases, particularly diarrhea, have increased across the country.
According to the ministry’s spokesperson, from the beginning of Jadi 1404 (late December 2025) to 9 Saratan of the current year (June 30, 2026), 644,824 children under the age of five suffering from acute diarrhea were brought to health facilities for treatment.
Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, said: “The number of acute diarrhea cases is higher this year than last year. The reasons include earthquakes, displacement caused by floods, and the lack of safe water and food.”
One-year-old Muzamil, the youngest child of Mah Gul, has been suffering from acute diarrhea for the past five days. His mother says he became ill after the weather turned hotter, and because treatment was unavailable in Nijrab, the family brought him to Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul.
Mah Gul, the child’s mother, said: “When the weather became very hot, my child fell ill. I took him to several doctors and got medicine, but it did not help. Because of the diarrhea and vomiting, he became very weak, so I brought him to this hospital, where he was admitted.”
Gol Bibi, the mother of another sick child, said: “My daughter has been sick for four days. She developed diarrhea after the weather became hot.”
Meanwhile, officials in the internal medicine department of Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital say the number of diarrhea cases has increased with the rise in temperatures. They report that between 150 and 200 children with diarrhea are brought to the hospital every day.
Mohammad Arif Hasanzai, head of the hospital’s internal medicine department, told : “Patients are divided into different categories. Those in good condition receive prescriptions and are discharged. Those with moderate symptoms undergo further examinations and are discharged if no serious problem is found. However, children whose condition is severe or who have suffered significant dehydration are admitted for treatment.”
Doctors have also advised mothers on how to prevent the disease.
Dr. Habib Shah Azimi said: “We advise mothers not to use leftover food, to prepare fresh meals, and to give their children plenty of fluids during the hot season.”
Doctors warn that if families fail to ensure access to safe drinking water, maintain proper hygiene, and seek timely treatment during hot weather, diarrhea can escalate from a treatable illness into a serious threat to human life, especially for children.
