Health
CIA now says COVID-19 ‘more likely’ to have come from lab
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Central Intelligence Agency has assessed that the COVID-19 pandemic is “more likely” to have emerged from a lab rather than from nature, an agency spokesperson said on Saturday.
The agency had for years said it could not conclude whether COVID-19 was the result of a lab incident or it originated in nature. But in the final weeks of the Biden administration, former CIA Director William Burns asked CIA analysts and scientists to make a clear determination, stressing the pandemic’s historical significance, according to a senior U.S. official.
The CIA says it has “low confidence” in its assessment that a “research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely” and notes in its statement that both scenarios – lab origin and natural origin – remain plausible.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was unclear the extent to which the agency has collected new intelligence on COVID-19’s origins and whether that new evidence was used to formulate the latest assessment.
China’s government says it supports and has taken part in research to determine COVID-19’s origin, and has accused Washington of politicizing the matter, especially because of efforts by U.S. intelligence agencies to investigate.
Beijing has said claims that a laboratory leak likely caused the pandemic have no credibility.
In an interview with Breitbart following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate on Friday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said one of his first priorities was getting his agency to make a public assessment on the pandemic’s origins.
“That’s a day-one thing for me,” he said. “I’ve been on record as you know in saying I think our intelligence, our science, and our common sense all really dictate that the origins of COVID was a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.”
Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, met with the head of the World Health Organization in Afghanistan, Edwin Ceniza Salvador, to discuss expanding healthcare services and strengthening coordination in the country.
According to a statement issued Tuesday by the Ministry of Public Health, the meeting was attended by officials from the WHO and other representatives and focused on key health sector priorities and areas of mutual cooperation.
Participants discussed the expansion of health services across Afghanistan, capacity-building initiatives for healthcare workers, and the development of cancer-related services. They also reviewed operational coordination, transparency in the delivery of health services, and preparations for upcoming health-related meetings.
During the meeting, Jalali emphasized the importance of aligning health projects and services with the ministry’s national policies and strategic documents.
He stressed that all health initiatives should be implemented based on the priorities and needs identified by the Ministry of Public Health.
The minister also urged WHO officials to enhance transparency and strengthen coordination with the ministry while taking practical steps to improve the quality of health services and ensure broader public access to healthcare across the country.
For his part, Salvador reaffirmed the WHO’s commitment to maintaining close cooperation with the Afghan health ministry and to delivering essential health services in accordance with the ministry’s policies and priorities.
Health
Afghanistan faces acute shortage of specialist doctors, officials urge ethics and expansion of health services
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, said the ministry is making sustained and intensive efforts to address the gap and expand access to healthcare services in remote and underserved areas of the country.
Afghanistan is continuing to face a serious shortage of specialist doctors, health officials said during the graduation ceremony of specialist physicians from the General Directorate of Medical Specialization for the year 1404.
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, said the ministry is making sustained and intensive efforts to address the gap and expand access to healthcare services in remote and underserved areas of the country.
According to Jalali, hospitals are still absent across 318 districts nationwide. He added that initial construction work for hospitals has been completed in 100 of these areas, stressing that strengthening health infrastructure and training qualified specialists remain top priorities for the ministry.
Jalali also called on doctors and health officials to uphold their professional and religious responsibilities by treating patients with compassion, dignity, and good conduct. He emphasized that medical practice should not be driven by material gain, but by the pursuit of public service and the well-being of the people.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Hamdullah Nomani, Minister of Communications and Information Technology noted a decline in public trust toward some medical professionals, saying that despite the presence of many committed and ethical doctors, the behavior of a few motivated solely by financial gain has undermined patient confidence. He urged newly graduated specialists to serve with sincerity and restore public trust in Afghanistan’s healthcare system.
Meanwhile, Abdul Wali Sadiqi, the financial and administrative deputy minister of public health, advised graduates to remain committed to their profession, fulfill their responsibilities honestly, and serve the public with dedication. He stressed that efforts in national service should match those made in personal affairs.
In addition, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, head of the National Examinations Authority, highlighted that humans carry two fundamental responsibilities: worship of Allah and preservation of health, underscoring the vital role doctors play in safeguarding public health.
Health sector experts say Afghanistan now needs skilled and professional medical personnel more than ever, calling for increased investment in specialist training and healthcare infrastructure to meet the country’s growing needs.
Naemullah Ayoubi, Director General of Drug and Health Products Regulation at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, has departed for Turkey on an official visit accompanied by a technical delegation.
The Ministry of Public Health said the delegation will hold meetings with officials from Turkey’s pharmaceutical regulatory authority and discuss a number of key issues related to the regulation of medicines and health products.
The delegation is also scheduled to visit several pharmaceutical manufacturing factories in Turkey.
According to the ministry, the visit aims to strengthen coordination between the two countries in the production and import of medicines, in order to ensure the availability of high-quality and affordable pharmaceuticals for people in Afghanistan in both the short and long term.
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