Afghanistan needs more foreign support as COVID-19 rages on

Amin Alemi

Press TV, Kabul

The Afghan government has recently re-doubled its efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic as the second wave of infections hits Afghanistan.

As officials say, the government has improved its capabilities compared to the first wave that emerged in mid-February. The government, however, emphasizes that it still needs foreign support to manage the outbreak.

The government is also weighing a possible lockdown in all big cities including the capital, Kabul, if daily caseloads do not slow down. This comes while official reports suggest that 16 million out of 35 million Afghans are in urgent need of food during winter. That is why they either must be supported or be allowed to go to work as the breadwinners of their families.

Fifty-one weeks have passed since the first positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the western city of Herat. According to officials, nearly 50,000 positive cases of coronavirus infections have been confirmed so far. More than 2,000 patients have also lost their lives.

However, few Afghans have followed lockdown rules as most markets and public sites remain open and daily life is going on the same way before the arrival of coronavirus in Afghanistan. A major concern of Afghan people is the mismanagement of foreign donations for the COVID-19 pandemic. They are calling on responsible organizations to take the issue seriously and do not waste the fund.

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