Only 400 Types of Medicines in Afghanistan Meet International Standards

Abdul Basir Qane, head of drug and health products regulation at the Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health, said around 1,000 types of medicine are currently produced in the country, but only 400 of them meet international standards.

He added that of Afghanistan’s 117 pharmaceutical factories, only four operate according to global standards, while 18 others comply with some of these requirements but are still not fully up to standard.

The Taliban administration recently assessed private hospitals in Kabul. Based on this review, only two out of 115 private hospitals received an “A” grade for service quality. Nine hospitals were graded “B” and 39 received a “C”, while the rest failed to meet the required standards.

This situation reflects a deep crisis in Afghanistan’s health sector, which has worsened since the Taliban retook control. Citizens have repeatedly complained about the poor quality of health services and rising costs, with the crisis adding further pressure on the public.