The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed deep concern over the absence of mental health services in provincial hospitals across Afghanistan, despite a critical need among the population.

The organization reports that all 34 provincial hospitals in the country currently lack specialized mental health facilities.

In a statement, WHO attributed the current state of mental health services in Afghanistan to years of conflict, economic hardship, and widespread psychological stress.

With financial support from the European Union, WHO has launched a program aimed at improving mental health and providing social support across the country.

This initiative focuses particularly on vulnerable populations and is being implemented through the hospital network.

To address the severe shortage of specialized mental health services, WHO has initiated a pilot project that integrates inpatient wards for the treatment of severe mental health disorders into selected provincial hospitals.

As part of this effort, inpatient facilities with a capacity of eight beds have been established in the provinces of Bamyan, Badakhshan, Farah, and Nimroz. Additionally, a larger 20-bed center has been launched at the Aino Mina Hospital in Kandahar province.

WHO emphasized that the goal of these centers is not only to treat psychological symptoms, but also to support patients in rebuilding their lives, restoring family relationships, and reintegrating into society.

Nevertheless, the organization has expressed concern about the uncertain future of the program.

It warned that the expansion and sustainability of these services are essential to meet the growing mental health needs of the Afghan population.

Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Health Noorjilal Jalali met with the head of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) for Afghanistan, Michael Lippi, for discussions on improving healthcare centers and medical services in the country.

The two officials also discussed enhancing the capacity of healthcare workers, ensuring transparency in services, improving coordination with the Ministry of Public Health, and delivering effective and sustainable healthcare services.

Jalali emphasized the importance of increasing and expanding the organization’s support for the health sector and called for further development of services.

He stressed the need to enhance the capacity, quality, effectiveness, and transparency of healthcare workers.

Michael Lippi also emphasized the need for further improvements in health services in Afghanistan and the expansion of this sector.

He committed to efforts aimed at improving the quality of healthcare services and fostering better coordination. He specifically addressed the continuation of services in the provinces of Herat, Kunduz, and Helmand, confirming that these centers will continue their operations in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Naeem, the Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Interim Government, held a separate meeting with

Michael Lippi to discuss the expansion of healthcare services and the provision of necessary facilities for returning migrants.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lippi reassured government that MSF’s efforts to improve maternal and child health and enhance the capacity of healthcare personnel will continue.

Peshawar-Kai, a Japanese aid organization, has announced that it will resume leprosy treatment in Afghanistan after around 15 years.

The charity will treat leprosy patients in memory of its former head Tetsu Nakamura, Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.

The NGO will begin its leprosy treatment program in Afghanistan this year.

It will treat patients in areas such as Nangarhar province by providing medicines, training staff and sending mobile treatment teams.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused mainly by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes.

Nakamura started treated leprosy patients in Pakistan in the 1980s and then began extensive activities, including the construction of water supply canals in Afghanistan.

The Japanese aid worker was killed in an armed attack in Jalalabad in December 2019.