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Afghan Minister of Public Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, paid an official visit to India, during which he participated in the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine held in the national capital and had a series of high-level meetings to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector.
According to a Ministry of External Affairs release on Monday, the Afghan Minister, during his visit from December 16 to December 21, held a bilateral meeting with Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda. During the meeting, India reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan, with a particular focus on the long-term supply of medicines, the release stated. As a symbolic gesture of support, cancer medicines and vaccines were handed over to the Afghan side. India also announced that a larger consignment of medicines, vaccines and a 128-slice CT scanner is being dispatched to Afghanistan to help strengthen its healthcare infrastructure. "A larger consignment of medicines, vaccines, and a 128-slice CT scanner is being dispatched to Afghanistan to strengthen its healthcare system," the release read. The Afghan Minister also met with Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, with discussions focusing on ongoing healthcare development projects, the formation of a Joint Working Group on Health, the establishment of cancer treatment facilities in Afghanistan, and the deployment of Indian medical teams to support capacity-building programmes for Afghan doctors. In another key engagement, Jalali met with Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, during which the two sides discussed cooperation in traditional medicine, including opportunities for knowledge exchange in education, research, and regulatory frameworks to strengthen Afghanistan's healthcare system. To gain exposure to India's tertiary healthcare facilities, the Afghan delegation visited AIIMS, New Delhi, along with several other hospitals. A technical visit to the Centre of Excellence in Unani Medicine at Jamia Hamdard University was also organised. The delegation further interacted with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation Limited. In addition, the Afghan delegation participated in interactive business sessions with industry bodies, including the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), and the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil). The visit underscored India's continued engagement with Afghanistan in the healthcare sector, with a focus on humanitarian assistance, capacity building, and long-term cooperation. (ANI)
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