Free cataract surgery campaign launched at Kabul Central Hospital

The Al-Basar International Foundation, in partnership with the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and with financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), has launched a five-day medical program at the ARCS hospital in Kabul which is aimed at treating patients with vision problems.

The initiative will provide free eye checkups, medication, cataract surgeries, and corrective eyeglasses to those in need.

At the program’s inauguration, Sheikh Ul Hadith Shahabuddin Delawar, President of ARCS, said that projects of this kind are a lifeline for Afghanistan’s most vulnerable citizens, many of whom struggle to access or afford specialized healthcare.

He confirmed that 400 patients in Kabul will directly benefit from this week’s services, while upcoming campaigns in Nangarhar and Kandahar will extend similar treatment to an additional 800 patients.

Delawar also announced ARCS’s long-term plan to establish a modern hospital specializing in congenital heart disease, underscoring the organization’s broader mission to improve health services nationwide.

Rizwan Ahmad Baloch, representing the Al-Basar International Foundation, stressed that since 2023, the foundation has been working across Afghanistan to tackle preventable blindness and restore vision through medical outreach programs.

With the support of KSrelief, he said, Al-Basar has already reached thousands of patients in underserved areas and is committed to expanding its reach.

Cataracts remain one of the leading causes of blindness in Afghanistan, where decades of conflict, widespread poverty, and a fragile healthcare system have severely limited access to specialized care.

According to international health organizations, tens of thousands of Afghans suffer from avoidable blindness, with women, the elderly, and rural populations disproportionately affected. Initiatives such as this campaign not only restore sight but also restore independence and livelihoods, offering patients a chance to resume daily activities and reduce the burden on their families.