Health
Health ministry says 2,000 people died from heart disease in past 18 months
The Ministry of Public Health said on Sunday at an event to mark World Heart Day that 2,000 people in the country died from heart disease in the 18 months.
According to officials, up to 6,000 people are diagnosed with heart disease every year.
Non-communicable cardiovascular disease is considered one of the ten deadly diseases in the world.
Ministry of Health officials say; from March 2022 to October 2023, more than 6,000 people have been diagnosed with heart problems and that 2,000 people died in this time.
“In the past year, 26,946 people with heart disease have come to us, and these patients have been provided with in- and out-patient services, and nearly 2,000 people with heart disease who were elderly or had high blood pressure and other diseases, died,” said Sharaf Zaman Amarkhel, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.
According to doctors, the main causes of cardiovascular diseases are smoking, alcohol, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, and obesity. This can lead to high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, officials said.
“Unfortunately, in our society, people use a lot of oil and salt, and we still don’t exercise alongside it,” said Haider Khan Haider, Director General of Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Public Health.
However, officials of the Association of Cardiovascular Doctors say that the institution performs up to four heart operations daily.
“Keeping the heart healthy is not a one-day job, but requires a long-term commitment. Our message is clear; have a balanced diet, be active and take care, and let’s prefer drinking water over other soft and energy drinks,” said Abdulwahid Siddiqi, the head of the Afghan Cardiovascular Doctors Association.
Cardiovascular disease affects millions of people around the world and an estimated 20 million people die from it annually.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, has called for India’s cooperation in the standardization and development of traditional medicine during a meeting with India’s Minister for Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH), Prataprao Jadhav.
The meeting focused on establishing a traditional medicine institute and a research center in Kabul, cooperation in training qualified professionals, and the signing of a bilateral memorandum of understanding. Minister Jalali stressed that standardizing traditional medicine is a pressing priority for Afghanistan and noted that India’s extensive expertise in this field would be highly beneficial.
For his part, the AYUSH minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting Afghanistan by assisting in the establishment of a research center and institute in Kabul, developing and implementing academic curricula, and expanding cooperation across various areas related to traditional medicine.
Noor Jalal Jalali, Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, held a meeting in Kabul with representatives of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and other international organizations.
According to the ministry’s statement, representatives of these international organizations discussed the delivery of health and development services, improving the management of aid and resources in the health sector, integrating health facilities and aligning them with the new policy, providing health services in accordance with the Ministry of Public Health’s policy, strengthening the immunization and vaccination sector, delivering services based on priorities, and ensuring sustained coordination.
During the meeting, Jalali stressed the need for transparency and attention to the ministry’s priorities in order to enhance the effectiveness and impact of health services. He added that the delivery of health services must be carried out in line with the ministry’s policy and through better management of existing international assistance.
Referring to vaccination campaigns, he stated that the recent measles and polio vaccination campaign had been implemented very successfully, and emphasized that necessary preparations should be made for upcoming campaigns.
He also provided information regarding the review of the BPHS and EPHS health packages and the establishment of a standardized system through technical committees.
In this meeting, Edwin Ceniza, the WHO Representative for Afghanistan, reaffirmed the organization’s continued cooperation with the Ministry of Public Health and expressed appreciation to the ministry’s leadership for their tireless efforts to improve the health system.
Representatives of these organizations pledged to maintain effective and sustained coordination and to provide their services within the country in accordance with the policies and principles of the Ministry of Public Health.
Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister for Health Services at the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has departed for Turkey on an official visit accompanied by a high-ranking delegation.
According to a statement released by the Health Ministry on Wednesday, the trip aims to acquire new health-sector expertise, assess Turkish medical and scientific institutions, meet with Turkish health and government officials, and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
During the visit, the delegation is scheduled to meet representatives from both public and private health sectors to support improvements in Afghanistan’s healthcare system and enhance coordination between the two countries, the statement added.
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