Taliban administration seeks Indian support for cancer hospital equipment and medicines
The Taliban administration says it has asked India to help equip a cancer hospital and support the health sector, as shortages of medicine, specialist equipment and professional capacity in Afghanistan’s health system persist.
The Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health said acting minister Noor Jلال Jalali met Yatin Patel, the Indian chargé d’affaires in Kabul, and requested support for Indira Gandhi Hospital, equipment for the cancer hospital, and improved capacity for health workers.
According to the ministry, the two sides discussed strengthening health services and expanding cooperation. The Taliban administration also claimed the Indian side stressed continued health cooperation, including equipping the thalassemia department, supplying chemotherapy medicines, and providing radiotherapy machines.
Specialized hospitals, including the cancer hospital and the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital, are among the key treatment centres for critical patients and children in Kabul. The shortage of advanced equipment, including radiotherapy machines and specialist chemotherapy drugs, along with the need for training and capacity-building for health staff, has increased pressure on the country’s health system.
The request comes as imports of medicine from India and Iran have increased following the halt in trade with Pakistan and a shortage of medicine in Afghanistan’s markets. However, drug traders say the imports have not fully made up for the shortage caused by the suspension of trade with Pakistan.
India has played a role in some areas of Afghanistan’s health sector in recent years, including support for treatment centres and the provision of medical equipment. Indira Gandhi Hospital is also one of the well-known medical centres in Kabul, offering most of its health services for children.
