Health
Kunduz experiences spike in TB cases
Health officials in the northern province of Kunduz said Sunday that the infectious disease claimed the lives of eight people last (solar) year while 1,700 others contracted the illness.
Patients in the provincial hospital said the main reason for them having contracted the disease was financial woes as they weren’t able to buy healthy food or visit doctors.
“When I contracted the disease, I did not have money. I went to doctor twice but got not result. Finally I came to the center, now I feel good. Thanks to the center,” said Mah Jabin, a patient.
Doctors at the provincial hospital confirm that people’s dire financial situation and poverty are the major causes of the spike in the number of TB patients.
“We registered 1,713 patients of Tuberculosis in the year 1400 whereas the number was 1,605 in 1399. Poverty and economic difficulties are the big reasons behind the increase,” said Nasrullah Anwari, the head of the provincial Tuberculosis program in Kunduz.
In the meantime, Najibullah Sahil, the head of public health in Kunduz province, urged people to cooperate with them by referring people, who have had continuous coughs for more than two weeks, to a clinic.
Sahil said there was medicine available.
Health workers at the clinic said Tuberculosis, which affects a person’s respiratory system, can be fatal but it is also curable.
There are a total of 75 health centers providing treatment for the disease both in the provincial capital and districts.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, has called for India’s cooperation in the standardization and development of traditional medicine during a meeting with India’s Minister for Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH), Prataprao Jadhav.
The meeting focused on establishing a traditional medicine institute and a research center in Kabul, cooperation in training qualified professionals, and the signing of a bilateral memorandum of understanding. Minister Jalali stressed that standardizing traditional medicine is a pressing priority for Afghanistan and noted that India’s extensive expertise in this field would be highly beneficial.
For his part, the AYUSH minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting Afghanistan by assisting in the establishment of a research center and institute in Kabul, developing and implementing academic curricula, and expanding cooperation across various areas related to traditional medicine.
Noor Jalal Jalali, Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, held a meeting in Kabul with representatives of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and other international organizations.
According to the ministry’s statement, representatives of these international organizations discussed the delivery of health and development services, improving the management of aid and resources in the health sector, integrating health facilities and aligning them with the new policy, providing health services in accordance with the Ministry of Public Health’s policy, strengthening the immunization and vaccination sector, delivering services based on priorities, and ensuring sustained coordination.
During the meeting, Jalali stressed the need for transparency and attention to the ministry’s priorities in order to enhance the effectiveness and impact of health services. He added that the delivery of health services must be carried out in line with the ministry’s policy and through better management of existing international assistance.
Referring to vaccination campaigns, he stated that the recent measles and polio vaccination campaign had been implemented very successfully, and emphasized that necessary preparations should be made for upcoming campaigns.
He also provided information regarding the review of the BPHS and EPHS health packages and the establishment of a standardized system through technical committees.
In this meeting, Edwin Ceniza, the WHO Representative for Afghanistan, reaffirmed the organization’s continued cooperation with the Ministry of Public Health and expressed appreciation to the ministry’s leadership for their tireless efforts to improve the health system.
Representatives of these organizations pledged to maintain effective and sustained coordination and to provide their services within the country in accordance with the policies and principles of the Ministry of Public Health.
Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister for Health Services at the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has departed for Turkey on an official visit accompanied by a high-ranking delegation.
According to a statement released by the Health Ministry on Wednesday, the trip aims to acquire new health-sector expertise, assess Turkish medical and scientific institutions, meet with Turkish health and government officials, and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
During the visit, the delegation is scheduled to meet representatives from both public and private health sectors to support improvements in Afghanistan’s healthcare system and enhance coordination between the two countries, the statement added.
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