Afghans struggle with humanitarian crisis, millions on brink of starvation

By mid-2022, 97% of the population could plunge into poverty, the UNDP said.

Four months after the Taliban seized power, Obaidullah Alikhil found himself unemployed and struggling to make ends meet as his son laid in bed with no strength to even open his eyes as he battles malnutrition.

Weighing around 12 pounds, 2-year-old Mohammed Alikhil was first admitted to the hospital in the summer of 2021, as the U.S. prepared to retreat its troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban's power continued to grow. He was hospitalized for 21 days due to severe diarrhea, Alikhil told ABC News in December.

At the end of his stay, he was brought back home. But his condition, according to Alikhil, only got worse, leading to another hospital visit.

Several hospital visits and medications did not help with Mohammed's recovery. With no solution, the bills continued to pile up, and the family's financial situation became even more challenging.