KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan’s Second National and International Health Exhibition opened in Kabul on Wednesday, showcasing a wide range of medicines, medical equipment and healthcare products.
Organised by the Ministry of Public Health, the five-day exhibition was inaugurated at the Afghanistan International Exhibition Centre.
It features 300 booths representing Afghan companies as well as firms from India, Iran and Turkey.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Sheikh Noorulhaq Anwar, head of the Administrative Office, said the healthcare sector had made significant progress since the Islamic Emirate came to power.
He said greater attention had been paid to ensuring the quality of food products and medicines, while measures had been taken to curb the smuggling of substandard and illegal products.
Economy Minister Qari Din Mohammad Hanif said considerable progress had been made in recent years in medical diagnostics, pharmaceutical quality control and healthcare service delivery.
He added that substantial investments had also been made in these sectors.
He said strengthening the country’s healthcare system and expanding medical facilities could reduce Afghans’ need to travel abroad for treatment and prevent capital outflows.
Hanif said both the public and private healthcare sectors had the capacity to improve medical services, adding that greater cooperation and coordination between the two could help deliver better-quality healthcare to the population.
Mawlawi Hamdullah Zahid, Deputy Minister for Food and Drugs at the Ministry of Public Health, said the exhibition provided an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical equipment importers and specialised hospitals.
He described the event as a valuable platform for attracting domestic and foreign investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical equipment and the establishment of specialised healthcare centres.
Zahid warned that legal action would be taken against individuals and companies violating the laws and regulations governing the import of medicines and healthcare products.
He also said the ministry had signed cooperation agreements with Uzbekistan and Iran to expand regional and international partnerships. Similar agreements are expected to be signed with Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia and Turkey.
Mawlawi Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister for Healthcare Service Delivery, said establishing a strong healthcare system was a shared responsibility of all relevant government and private-sector institutions.
He said the ministry was committed to providing all citizens with quality, equitable, timely and accessible healthcare services.
Speaking at the ceremony, Afghan Red Crescent Society Director General Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar said domestic healthcare facilities had been developed to treat patients who previously travelled abroad for medical care.
He said many challenges facing the healthcare sector had been addressed, adding that efforts were continuing to further expand and improve the quality of healthcare services across the country.
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