Afghanistan

With the removal of the Taliban government at the end of 2001, the Afghan health system faced enormous challenges. Around 50% of children were malnourished, the under-5 mortality was 257, and the maternal mortality rate was 1,600. Poor physical infrastructure (13% of the population had access to safe drinking water and 12% had access to adequate sanitation facilities), poor health service quality and access to care (about one-third of health facilities had been damaged by war or earthquake and only about 30% of the facilities offered a comprehensive package of maternal and child health services) were contributing factors, as were poor accountability mechanisms.