2021 Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) Factsheet
The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) identified 107 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in Afghanistan in 2021, compared to 106 incidents in 2020. Health workers were harmed when traveling to or from work or when the convoy or ambulance in which they were traveling in or the hospital where they were working was hit by explosive weapons.
Polio vaccination campaigns in Nangarhar province were targeted by violence at least six times in 2021, resulting in the deaths of eight vaccinators and injuries to a further four. All six incidents occurred prior to the Taliban takeover.
Following the Taliban takeover in August fewer incidents were recorded than in the preceding months. The number of provinces where incidents were reported rose in 2021, from ten in 2020 to 17 in 2021. In particular, more incidents were reported from Nangarhar province, with the total increasing from one in 2020 to 20 in 2021. High incident numbers continued to be reported in Kabul. Read the full factsheet here. Download data.
Our Global Interactive Map on Threats and Violence against Health Care provides access to continuously updated information on violence against health care in conflict and related to COVID-19.