New Delhi, Dec. 22 -- India's engagement with Afghanistan's health sector has received renewed momentum following the visit of Afghan Minister of Public Health Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali to India from December 16 to 21, during which both sides reviewed ongoing cooperation and explored avenues for long-term collaboration in healthcare, capacity building and traditional medicine.
The visit highlighted a shared interest in strengthening Afghanistan's healthcare delivery through affordable and culturally familiar treatment options. In meetings with Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Ayush Prataprao Jadhav, discussions focused on education, research and regulation of traditional systems of medicine, including Ayurveda and Unani. Both sides underlined the potential of traditional medicine to complement modern healthcare services in Afghanistan.
Jalali also participated in the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine held in the national capital, signalling Kabul's interest in integrating traditional medical systems into its public health framework. He held a series of high-level meetings with Indian ministers and senior officials, reflecting India's continued people-centric engagement with Afghanistan despite prevailing political and security challenges.
At a bilateral meeting with Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda, India assured sustained humanitarian and healthcare assistance to Afghanistan, with a special focus on the long-term supply of essential medicines. During the visit, a token consignment of cancer medicines and vaccines was handed over to the Afghan side. Indian authorities also confirmed that a larger consignment of medicines and vaccines, along with a 128-slice CT scanner, is being sent to Afghanistan to strengthen its diagnostic and treatment capabilities.
The Afghan minister also called on Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh. Their discussions covered ongoing healthcare-related development projects and future cooperation, including proposals to form a Joint Working Group on Health to institutionalise collaboration. Other issues deliberated upon included the establishment of cancer treatment facilities in Afghanistan and the possibility of deploying Indian medical teams to support capacity-building programmes for Afghan doctors and healthcare professionals.
As part of an exposure visit to India's tertiary healthcare ecosystem, the Afghan delegation visited AIIMS, New Delhi, and several other hospitals. A technical visit was also arranged to the Centre of Excellence in Unani Medicine at Jamia Hamdard University. In addition, the delegation held meetings with key regulatory and institutional bodies such as the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation Limited.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.