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In 2024, it was projected that approximately 23.7 million people—representing more than half of Afghanistan’s population would require humanitarian assistance. Of these, an estimated 17.9 million would need health services. Health interventions were prioritized to reach 12.8 million people, with the World Health Organization concentrating its efforts on delivering critical support to 4.6 million of the most vulnerable populations. The WHO Health Emergency Programme focused on enhancing early warning systems, strengthening surveillance systems and rapid response mechanisms to mitigate the impact of outbreaks, natural disasters, and humanitarian emergencies. The programme also prioritized the delivery of essential healthcare services to the underserved populations including provision of trauma care services. In response to emergencies, WHO responded rapidly to public health events, supplied critical medical resources, and coordinated multisectoral collaboration to ensure a cohesive response. Emphasis was placed on supporting vulnerable populations, including those in white areas and resource-limited settings. The programme integrated innovation and technology, such as digital health tools and data analytics, to improve decision-making and resource allocation. The progress made came along with challenges such as the established processes and procedures for the registration of the projects which required additional lead time to enable the start of the implementation of the projects1 . In addition to compound emergencies, geographical barriers hindered access to healthcare for many, particularly for those who reside in remote areas. WHO carried out a geo-spatial analysis of underserved areas in Afghanistan in September 2022, and the results indicate that 13.4 million people in 34 provinces reside in areas where primary healthcare is not accessible within one hour’s walk from their dwellings. WHO has since worked to improve healthcare access in underserved (white) areas across the country. The latter half of 2023 saw the return of hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghans and refugees from Pakistan, driven by a new policy affecting an estimated 1.3 million Afghans. This trend persisted into 2024, with a significant influx of returnees totaling over 3 386 461 individuals— comprising 1 297 990 from Pakistan and 2 088 471 from Iran.