By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    healthy hobbies
    The Importance of Hobbies for Our Health
    September 15, 2024
    Whiplash
    Understanding Whiplash: A Guide For Healthcare Practitioners
    January 22, 2025
    research chemicals and health care
    Chemical Research Drive Medical Breakthroughs
    June 14, 2023
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Hospitals and Providers Using NHIN (Nationwide Health Information Network)
    March 11, 2012
    Image
    Physicians With High Productivity And Satisfaction Scores Employ Strong Patient-Centered Communication Skills
    May 7, 2013
    My Solution to the Healthcare Crisis
    March 31, 2012
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: “Stunning Progress” but OOPs! in Afghanistan
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Global Healthcare > “Stunning Progress” but OOPs! in Afghanistan
Global Healthcare

“Stunning Progress” but OOPs! in Afghanistan

Amanda Glassman
Amanda Glassman
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Today NPR reports on the “stunning progress” made on health in Afghanistan. A USAID-funded survey conducted in 2010 –excluding parts of the high conflict South Zone- finds that mortality and fertility have dropped and coverage of essential services increased dramatically. Male adult mortality has been halved in roughly a decade. Average life expectancy for girls and boys is now 64 years, versus 45 years old in 2001.

Today NPR reports on the “stunning progress” made on health in Afghanistan. A USAID-funded survey conducted in 2010 –excluding parts of the high conflict South Zone- finds that mortality and fertility have dropped and coverage of essential services increased dramatically. Male adult mortality has been halved in roughly a decade. Average life expectancy for girls and boys is now 64 years, versus 45 years old in 2001. As USAID’s Alex Thier puts it in the interview, this is “the greatest single increase anywhere on the planet in the last decade.”

 

Since USAID is the largest funder of health services in Afghanistan and the US is a leader in the Afghan peace-building effort, this looks like very good news. Both the survey and other impact evaluations show US spending on health has made a difference for people’s lives in Afghanistan.

More Read

Image
Mobile Health Around the Globe – mHealth Fighting Malnutrition in India
Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
Symptoms of Serotonin Imbalances You Need to Know
3 Ways Advanced Technology Is Impacting Healthcare – For the Better!
Who Will Spend the New Money for Family Planning?

But 75% of spending on health is funded by Afghans themselves, out of pocket (see here).  Alex Thier sees this as a “great sign”, as an indication that Afghans are “very invested in their own health care. That has made the health care system in Afghanistan sustainable.”

Briefing failure!  High levels of out-of-pocket (OOP) spending actually signal poor health financing strategy, with high risks of further impoverishing the extremely poor households that live in Afghanistan. Worse still, unless you have a strong regulatory framework of health savings accounts or other schemes that would make no sense in a low-income country like Afghanistan, high OOP is not a good plan for sustainability of USAID investments. When we use the euphemism of transitioning to more sustainable “country ownership”, we are not talking about OOP, we are talking about public spending on health which remains a low $2.50 per capita, an amount not up to buying even a basic set of immunizations.

If the US wants to sustain the “stunning progress”, it will have to work to increase public spending on health.

TAGGED:AfghanistanOOP
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Amanda Glassman
As a healthcare blogger and author, I have been writing about the latest developments in the medical field for over 10 years. My work has been featured on various online publications, including Healthline and WebMD. I am passionate about educating people on how to stay healthy through proper nutrition and exercise practices. In addition to my blog posts, I have also authored several books that focus on health topics such as dieting tips, disease prevention strategies, and mental health awareness initiatives. My goal is to provide readers with reliable information so they can make informed decisions regarding their well-being.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025
engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Not One War on Cancer, Millions

August 10, 2011

Smiles Make the World Go Around

March 10, 2011

Cheap Generic Drugs from Emerging Markets Risky

July 7, 2011

VIVUS, Inc., Presses the Case for Obesity Drug Qnexa, Market Success

October 18, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?