CRISIS PROFILE: Afghanistan still the ‘sick man’ of Asia [View All]

[LiberalAndProud]

Source: AlertNet
By Alex Whiting

LONDON (AlertNet) - Devastated by decades of conflict and hard hit by natural disasters, Afghanistan is now the poorest country in Asia. Millions remain dependent on aid, even as insecurity and lawlessness put vast swathes of the country out of reach of humanitarian workers.

Millions of dollars have been pumped into Afghanistan since 2001 when U.S.-led forces toppled the extremist Taliban regime, but most Afghans still live in dire poverty. They face a daily reality of poor healthcare and sanitation, chronic hunger and the constant danger of landmines. Education remains a luxury for most children.

Meanwhile, Afghans remain the world’s largest refugee group after the Palestinians.

The World Food Programme estimates that at least 6.5 million people out of a population of between 21 and 26 million are dependent on food aid, and there is a very real risk of famine

http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/reliefresources/11192674179.htm