Afghan Quake Aftermath: Increased Disease Risk for Children

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck a remote area in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border on 31 August, destroying essential water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure. Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, highlighted the risk of a disease outbreak, warning that the earthquake has destroyed homes, taken lives, and now poses further risks through disease. Child survivors are living in crowded camps or shelters without access to safe water or sanitation facilities, creating conditions ripe for a health crisis.

Acute watery diarrhoea, one of the disease’s debilitating types, can persist for hours or days and is the third leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 59 months, killing over 400,000 children under five each year. According to WHO, access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene could largely prevent clinical diarrhoea—basic needs currently unmet for Afghan children.

UNICEF reports that 132 water sources have been destroyed, forcing families to rely on unsafe water and practice open defecation. Most latrines were destroyed in the quake, and many survivors lack soap and basic hygiene items, increasing the risk of disease. Acute watery diarrhoea is prevalent, and communities are also at risk of other waterborne diseases, with health centres noting a rise in skin rashes and dehydration.

UNICEF is providing WASH services in over 60 countries to combat infections in various settings. In Afghanistan, the agency has deployed temporary sanitation facilities, hygiene kits, and emergency water trucking while repairing water systems. However, only half of UNICEF’s $21.6 million appeal for emergency response is funded, prompting a call for donors to increase contributions.

The World Food Programme also faces a $622 million funding shortfall over the next six months, threatening operations in Afghanistan and other regions. WFP currently reaches less than 10% of the millions of food-insecure Afghans in need. A girl in Kunar province washes her face at a camp for earthquake-displaced people.