KABUL minister-designate on Thursday told lawmakers he would put an end to imports of substandard drugs and improve the situation of hospitals, if given a vote of trust.
President Ashraf Ghani introduced 24 ministers-designate and heads of two independent departments to parliament for a vote of confidence on Tuesday.
The nominees for ministries of public health, mines and petroleum, communications and IT and the National Directorate of Security head outlined their future programmes on Thursday.
Dr. Ferozuddin Feroz acknowledged 50 percent of the population did not have access to proper health services and Afghans spent $250 million annually on medical treatments abroad.
Feroz blasted private medical centres for their sky-rocketing fees and said he would evaluate their services in the first three months after taking office.
“I will build a world-class hospital and ask all renowned Afghan doctors to come and work there. This will obviate the need for our people going abroad for medical treatment,” he pledged.
Special heed would be given to people who could not afford treatment at private hospitals or abroad. He also promised creating a separate department along ports to prevent inflows of poor-quality medicine and food items.
According to reports, up to 300 companies based in neighbouring Pakistan. Such products do not require the standards demanded by their own government for drugs used in Pakistan.
His other priorities would be to attract investment for quality domestic production, giving more opportunities to youth, rooting out graft, overall evaluation of health services and special attention to the disabled population and nomads.
hg/mud
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