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Afghanistan's Minister of Public Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali on Saturday said that India is emerging as a key alternative partner for Afghanistan's pharmaceutical needs, as its relationship with Pakistan stands "deteriorated".
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Jalali said that earlier Pakistan accounted for 60-70 per cent of Afghanistan's pharmaceutical market, but recent disruptions have forced Kabul to explore new options. "Afghanistan's pharmaceutical supply market was 60-70 per cent taken by Pakistan. But now, due to recent issues, we have looked for alternative solutions to supply that gap, and India is one of them," he said. Emphasising a pragmatic approach to healthcare, Jalali said political differences should not come in the way of medical cooperation. "As the Minister of Public Health, I have only one enemy and that is disease. If I can hit my enemy with the help of any country, I will reach out for help and assistance," he said, while noting that Afghanistan's relationship with Pakistan has "deteriorated". Jalali said Afghanistan is looking to open a "new chapter" of cooperation with India, highlighting the long-standing ties between the two countries and India's role as a reliable health partner. "We have a strong relationship with India, and we are here to open a new chapter of cooperation and collaboration. When it comes to Pakistan, the relationship stands deteriorated..." His remarks came during his visit to India for the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, held in New Delhi. On the sidelines of the summit, Jalali held detailed discussions with Prataprao Jadhav, Minister of State for AYUSH, on strengthening cooperation in traditional systems of medicine. Sharing the details in a series of posts on X on Thursday, the Ministry of Ayush said that the meeting took place on the sidelines of the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional medicine. The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in Traditional Systems of Medicine, including Ayurveda, Unani, and Homeopathy. Ministry of Ayush highlighted that the interaction reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Afghanistan to promote traditional medicine as an important pillar of holistic and people-centric healthcare. Earlier, Afghan Health Minister Jalali also met JP Nadda, where the focus was on humanitarian and healthcare assistance to Afghanistan. During the meeting, India reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian support for Afghanistan, with emphasis on the long-term supply of medicines and health assistance as a key pillar of bilateral engagement. As part of this engagement, a symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines was carried out, reflecting India's commitment to supporting the medical needs of the Afghan people. Extending this support beyond the symbolic gesture, a larger consignment of medicines and vaccines, along with a 128-slice CT scanner, is also being dispatched to Afghanistan to strengthen healthcare services in the country. This engagement followed the Ministry of External Affairs of India welcoming the Afghan Minister of Public Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, on his first official visit to the country a day earlier, providing the diplomatic backdrop for the health-focused discussions. Jalali's visit followed the Ministry of External Affairs welcoming him on his first official visit to India, underlining New Delhi's continued humanitarian outreach to Afghanistan despite changing regional dynamics. (ANI)
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