Emergency health response for Refugees, IDPs, migrant populations and underserved host communities in border provinces and urban settings This proposed project, in line with the humanitarian’s priorities within the framework of the Afghanistan multi-year HRP (2018-2021) and Flash Appeal (Sept-Dec 2021), will contribute, in coordination and partnership with WHO, the Ministry of Public Health and others relevant health cluster actors, to the reduction of morbidity and mortality of vulnerable persons in the areas of highest needs including underserved, and some of the hardest-to-reach locations (including complex urban settings) in Afghanistan. This project is also in line with health cluster response priorities to ensure timely, equitable lifesaving health care is provided to people in need, through a holistic approach to humanitarian health assistance that also enables the health system to perform its essential functions, respond to emergencies, prevent, detect and respond to outbreaks of communicable diseases of epidemic potential and protect the health of vulnerable populations.

Building on existing IOM Migration Health programming, this project will specifically support:
 The provision of primary health care services through Mobile Health Teams (MHTs), including but not limited to reproductive and child health care services, Nutrition, mental health and psychosocial support services (Kunduz and Balkh), and COVID-19 vaccinations (Activity 1, AHF Strategy)
 The deployment of Rapid Response Teams for surveillance and response to infectious disease outbreak including COVID-19, acute watery diarrhea, dengue fever (Kandahar and Nangarhar) (Activity 2, AHF Strategy) and 
 The functioning of COVID-19 treatment centers in one regional hospital including staffing, diagnostic facilities, and provision of PPE in Herat (Activity 3, AHF Strategy), run by implementing partner Relief Humanitarian Development Organization (RHDO), with technical support and oversight from IOM.

These targeted provinces, selected as priority areas by the health cluster for the expansion of intervention coverage in 2022, are characterized by high return and displacement and are among the 15 identified with extreme severity of needs based on overall severity ranking (ICCT, Inter cluster need prioritization, Sept-Dec 2021). IOM stands ready to strengthen public health response capacities to save lives, while addressing migration and displacement drivers and mitigating mid-term impacts of the crisis in Afghanistan.
The coordination with the provincial health authorities, sub-regional Health Cluster teams as well as relevant Sehatmandi and AHF implementer in Kunduz, Balkh, Kandahar, Herat and Nangarhar was done through, direct consultations respectively with JACK (Kunduz) , HNTPO (Kunduz amp Nangarhar  ),HADAF (Balkh) and IMC  (Balkh) .
IOM is currently implementing Mobile Health Teams (MHTs) in Kunduz and Balkh, RRTs in Kandahar and Nangarhar) and COVID-19 treatment centers in Herat until February 28th. Thus, the overmentioned planned activities under the AHF-2021 SA-1 will start on March 1, 2022 and will continue for 6 months. There will be no preparatory period in the planned project as all arrangements (staff, building, equipment etc.) are already in place.

The project targets a total of 260,400 persons.