In a shocking turn of events, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have reported a dramatic spike in measles cases across their facilities in Balkh, Herat, and Helmand since the beginning of this year.

While measles is a known endemic issue in Afghanistan, the alarming number of cases reported already in 2025 raises serious concerns about public health and child safety.

Tragically, it has been reported that at least one child in the country has succumbed to measles each day, with data indicating nearly three times the fatalities compared to the same time last year.

Mickael Le Paih, the MSF country director, emphasizes the preventable nature of these deaths: "Measles can be particularly deadly for children suffering from malnutrition or pre-existing health issues, yet it can easily be prevented through vaccination.

Unfortunately, immunization coverage in Afghanistan remains horrifically low."

To combat the outbreak, MSF is advocating for swift community-level vaccination efforts in districts hit hardest by the ongoing outbreak.

By targeting these areas, health officials could potentially reduce the strain on hospitals and lessen the impact of the epidemic.

In the first eight weeks of 2025 alone, the MSF-supported hospitals have reported a staggering 4,799 suspected measles cases among children.

Of these, approximately 25% consist of complicated cases requiring hospitalization, with the remaining 75% needing outpatient care.

The situation is dire; for instance, Herat regional hospital has seen a staggering 180% increase in complicated measles cases compared to the previous year, prompting MSF to expand the measles isolation ward from just 11 beds to a significant 60.

Helmand's Boost provincial hospital is similarly overwhelmed, with the staff documenting a shocking 369% rise in suspected cases, totaling 1,866 in the first two months of the year.

At Mazar-i-Sharif regional hospital, there have been 1,499 suspected cases, reflecting a 35.6% increase compared to 2024, demonstrating that the crisis is widespread and escalating.

As healthcare resources dwindle and hospitals become overloaded, the health demand threatens to spill over into seasonal illnesses, exacerbating an already critical situation.

"We are dedicating additional resources, but we are already running out of space for patients suffering not just from measles, but seasonal illnesses as well," Le Paih warns.

In this distressing time, MSF operates across several provinces in Afghanistan, focusing on secondary healthcare services.

In 2024 alone, MSF provided over 404,500 emergency consultations, admitted nearly 120,000 patients, and treated more than 13,000 cases of measles.

Now is the time for immediate action: we must unite efforts to implement urgent vaccinations and ensure the availability of essential measles treatment kits.

The health and lives of countless children hang in the balance.

If the problem continues to deteriorate, Afghanistan could face a public health catastrophe of unprecedented proportions.

Will we act before it’s too late?