Like much of Afghanistan, Herat is suffering from the crumbing of the healthcare system. Health workers have not received their salaries for months. International aid has been largely put on standby following the takeover of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA, also known as the Taliban) on 15 August 2021, resulting in the poor functioning or closing of many health facilities. The third wave of COVID-19 is practically over, but the fourth wave looms large already and Covid-19 vaccination coverage remains extremely low. MSF has been working in Herat since 2018 has significantly expanded its operations in 2021, to respond to increased needs in the area.
First opened in 2022, the MSF COVID-19 treatment centre has been active at different stages of the epidemic and even in times of relative calm, it still admits patients, while being ready for a possible surge. Its capacity has been recently increased to 120 beds, of which 20 beds of ICU, to prepare for the needs resulting from the forthcoming fourth wave of the outbreak.