Kabul’s crisis management test
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic that has engulfed the globe has already spread to most parts of Afghanistan. As of Monday, the Afghan Ministry of Public Health reported the total number of confirmed cases in the country to be about 1,000, with about a 3 percent fatality rate. But the official statistics are by no means representative of the actual number of those infected, which might be several times higher.
The main reason for the apparently limited number of coronavirus cases in Afghanistan is the extremely low capacity for testing nationwide. The only laboratory that is able to confirm if a test is positive or negative is in the capital, Kabul. The hospital, specifically for coronavirus patients, was established with assistance from the government of Japan.
Afghanistan has a broken and dysfunctional health care system. Despite millions of dollars in foreign aid for the health sector, the country doesn’t have a single hospital that can provide reliable diagnostic and treatment services. Public hospitals are overburdened and lack quality. Hundreds of private hospitals have been established over the past 18 years, but they lack expertise and adequate facilities, forcing most Afghans to travel abroad for medical help. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s agricultural sector has been severely impacted by the past several decades of war and conflict. Despite the fact that substantial foreign assistance has been provided to revitalize agricultural productivity, the efforts have been ineffective and the country depends on imports from neighboring countries for essential food commodities. In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, food prices have skyrocketed due to a significant reduction in imported supplies.
The country has a destitute economy and mostly relies on foreign aid, with the US being the main financier. During the coronavirus outbreak, it is virtually impossible for Afghanistan to cope with the economic shocks on its own. However, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, the EU and others have offered financial support. The UAE provided tens of thousands of urgently needed test kits.
It is critically important for the Afghan government to properly utilize the funding allocated for addressing the pandemic crisis, whether from domestic resources or international assistance.
These funds are to be used either directly for health care or indirectly for coping with the economic impacts of the crisis. It is a test for the Afghan administration to ensure that it is capable of managing crises. Genuine leadership is proved in difficult times.
Most major Afghan cities have been under lockdown for weeks, and the decision to order this was both timely and appropriate. However, with a fragile economy, continuing violence and a broken health care system, the actions the government can take are very limited. In order for Afghanistan to defeat the coronavirus, both people and the government must join hands to ensure a coordinated response.
Ajmal Shams, based in Kabul, is president of the Afghanistan Social Democratic Party. Twitter: @ajmshams
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