Noor Jalal Jalali, the Taliban’s Minister of Public Health, in a meeting with Yetin Patil, the charge d’affaires of India’s embassy in Kabul, called for the expansion of health cooperation and India’s support for Afghanistan’s treatment sector.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health said on Monday, September 28 (Mizan 6) that Jalali in this meeting called for support for Indira Gandhi Hospital, equipping the specialized cancer hospital, and building the capacity of health workers.

According to the ministry, the Indian charge d’affaires also emphasized the continuation of his country’s health cooperation, including equipping the thalassemia ward, providing chemotherapy medicines, and radiotherapy devices.

The specialized cancer and Indira Gandhi hospitals are among the important treatment centers for special patients and children in Kabul; however, the lack of advanced equipment and specialized medicines is considered among the challenges of this sector.

This meeting comes as, after the reduction of medicine trade with Pakistan, Afghanistan has increasingly turned to imports from India and Iran to meet its pharmaceutical needs. Media reports have also reported an increase in the prices of some medicines in Kabul’s market after the halt in pharmaceutical trade with Pakistan.