New Delhi, 18 Dec (UNI) India on Thursday approved several key health infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, an official document from the Health Ministry said.
These initiatives included the construction of five maternity and health clinics in the provinces of Paktia, Khost, and Paktika, a 30-bed hospital in Kabul. Construction or upgradation of major facilities such as an Oncology Centre, Trauma Centre, Diagnostic Centre, and Thalassemia Centre in Kabul is also part of the approved health infrastructure projects.
The decisions were announced after a review meeting held between Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, and Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, on Thursday night.
Additional proposals for health sector support for the nation are currently under active consideration, the official note read.
Emphasising India’s ongoing support to the Taliban-led government, Nadda noted that over the past four years, India has supplied 327 tonnes of medicines and vaccines to Afghanistan. A CT scan machine and cancer medicines, requested by the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, are ready for dispatch and and will be delivered by the end of this month, he added.
According to the official document, proposals from the Afghan side for a radiotherapy machine and additional medical supplies are also being processed.
To enhance capacity-building in Afghanistan, India plans to send a team of senior doctors to organize a medical camp and provide training to Afghan healthcare professionals. India also reiterated its commitment to offer free treatment in Indian hospitals to Afghan patients with emergency or serious ailments and to facilitate medical visas.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, India has maintained a humanitarian presence in Afghanistan without formally recognising the Taliban government, delivering wheat, vaccines, and medicines via Iran’s Chabahar Port to bypass Pakistan. This engagement represents a strategic influence from pure humanitarian aid to a broader partnership, combining developmental assistance, economic connectivity, and cautious diplomacy.
