New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh met visiting Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali in New Delhi on Thursday, with discussions focused on healthcare cooperation, long-term supply of pharmaceutical products and development cooperation in the health sector.

In a post on X, Singh wrote, “Had a fruitful interaction with the Afghan Minister of Public Health, H.E. Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali today. Discussed bilateral issues, with a focus on healthcare cooperation, long-term supply of pharmaceutical products, and development cooperation in the health sector. Renewed India’s commitment to supporting the health security of the Afghan people.”

Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali also held a meeting with Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Wednesday, discussing ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector.

“The talks focused on boosting health cooperation, sharing expertise between medical professionals, building the capacity of Afghan health workers, and ensuring the supply of quality medicines to Afghanistan. Cancer treatment, medical visas for Afghan patients, and support for health facilities were also discussed,” Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health posted on X on Thursday.

Jalali thanked India for its recent support in the health sector and outlined additional needs to improve Afghanistan’s healthcare system.

During the meeting, Nadda reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting the Afghan people, including through the supply of medicines and vaccines. He confirmed that a CT scan machine, along with medicines and vaccines, would soon be sent to a children’s hospital in Kabul.

Nadda added that India would work to ease access to medical treatment for Afghan patients and stood ready to extend further assistance.

Following the talks with the Afghan Health Minister, Nadda took to X, “Held a productive meeting with Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, Afghan Minister of Public Health. Reaffirmed India’s commitment to continued humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan and discussed avenues to further strengthen this collaboration with particular focus on long term supply of medicines.”

“Made a symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines, reflecting India’s commitment to support the medical needs of the Afghan people. A larger consignment of medicines, vaccines, and a 128-slice CT scanner is also being dispatched to Afghanistan,” he added.

Nadda noted that India has supplied 327 tonnes of medicines and vaccines to Afghanistan over the past four years. Proposals from the Afghan side for a radiotherapy machine and additional medical supplies are also being processed.

Afghan Health Minister Jalali also met Minister for AYUSH (Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy), Prataprao Jadhav, during which the two sides discussed setting up a traditional medicine institute and research centre in Kabul, training practitioners, and signing a bilateral cooperation agreement.

“Jalali said standardising traditional medicine was essential and noted that Afghanistan had begun regulating the sector, adding that India’s experience made its support especially valuable,” said the Afghan Ministry of Public Health.

According to the Afghan Ministry, Jadhav pledged support for establishing research centres, developing curricula and expanding cooperation in traditional medicine in the future.

Taking to X, Jadhav wrote, “Strengthening bilateral healthcare ties! Held a productive meeting with H.E. Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, and Karan Yadav, Cd’A, Embassy of India, Kabul. We discussed enhancing cooperation in Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy for mutual well-being.”

–IANS

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