2021 Highlights
866,889 total returns from Iran and Pakistan since 01 January 2021
858,956 total returns from Iran in 2021. Over the past week 33,893 undocumented Afghans returned from Iran with 4% assisted (892 Men and 655 women).
7,933 total returns from Pakistan in 2021. Over the past week 475 undocumented Afghans returned from Pakistan with 42 % assisted (113 Men and 87 women)
Migration Health
In 2021, 214,802 patients have been served by IOM’s Migration Health Unit in Nimroz, Herat, Kandahar and Nangarhar provinces with basic health care, including outpatient consultations, maternal, child and neo-natal health care, reproductive health, family planning and COVID-19 response. Programming is supported by WHO, Germany, CERF, US BPRM and the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund.
During the past week a total of 2,188 patients were served by IOM’s 7 mobile health teams, inclusive of 1,627 outpatient consultations, health education sessions for 2,188 persons and psychosocial counselling sessions for 110 patients.
Under the Global Fund multi-country TB grant in partnership with UNDP, a total of 4,193 undocumented Afghans were screened for tuberculosis at the Zero Point Reception Centers in Herat, Nimroz, Kandahar and Nangarhar. Of the total screened, 131 presumptive TB cases were identified.
Protection
IOM’s Protection Programme has supported 2,121 undocumented returnee households (2,836 women, 2,658 men, 4,396 girls and 4,978 boys) comprising of at least one person with specific needs (PSN) in 2021 through provision of timely information, facilitating safe and dignified access to services, and provision of one-off assistance. This assistance includes cash to mitigate identified protection risks and avoid resorting to negative coping mechanisms when referral pathways are exhausted. With screening staff operating at both Herat and Nimroz border points as well as case workers operating across 11 provinces of return, the Protection team caseload this week included post-arrival assistance for 15 new PSN households (10 women, 16 men, 6 girls, 9 boys) in Herat and Nimroz. These cases included 6 women at risk, 5 single parents, 5 persons with serious medical conditions, 1 child at risk, and 1 older person at risk. 440 PSN individuals (and their households) were identified at Milak and Islam Qala border points by Protection screeners. 15 undocumented returnee households (10 women, 6 men, 6 girls, 9 boys ) received Post-arrival support services (e.g. mobile phones, family tracing, and transportation).