A private hospital in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar has launched a major health initiative, offering free surgeries to more than 2,000 patients from 22 districts across the province. The program aims to support those in need by providing essential medical care across several specialties.

According to hospital officials, the surgeries cover a wide range of departments, including general surgery, neurosurgery, ear, nose, and throat (ENT), orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, and eye surgery.

In total, 2,200 surgeries will be performed across six medical departments. Each district has been allocated 20 surgeries in departments such as general surgery and ENT. Additionally, 15 surgeries per district are planned in the ophthalmology and orthopedics departments. Surgeries for women’s health, including obstetrics and gynecology, are also part of the program.

While the surgeries themselves are being conducted free of charge, patients are required to cover the cost of medications.

Local authorities have welcomed the initiative and are urging other institutions and charitable organizations to support similar efforts. 

Patients and their families have expressed gratitude and called on other philanthropists and aid organizations to contribute.

The initiative will begin with patients from Nazian district, with others from across the province to follow.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Monday of an increase in infectious diseases in Afghanistan including measles, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), dengue fever, acute diarrhea, malaria, and severe respiratory infections.

According to the WHO’s latest report the number of cases increased in April.

The organization called for heightened precautions during the Eid al-Adha holidays, as the Congo virus is primarily transmitted through contact with animals.

This comes after the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warned last week that a reduction in U.S. humanitarian aid would deprive nearly seven million Afghan women and children of access to healthcare services.

The UNFPA’s Deputy Executive Director stated that due to the suspension of $102 million in U.S. aid to Afghanistan, 500 out of 900 health centers supported by UNFPA would be shut down.

The Ministry of Public Health has strongly refuted claims by the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) Deputy Executive Director Andrew Saberton, who said one woman dies every two hours in Afghanistan from preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications. 

Saberton, who visited Afghanistan earlier this month, said at a press briefing last week that Afghanistan was one of “the most trying humanitarian contexts currently in the world”.

Afghanistan’s health ministry said in response to Saberton’s comments that his claims were “incorrect” and “baseless,” and contradict the developments that have taken place in the health sector in the country.

The health ministry stated that under the current governance of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, significant strides have been made in maternal and child healthcare, including the expansion of health centers and a reported decrease in maternal mortality rates.

The Ministry of Public Health urged both national and international organizations to align with them before disseminating information regarding health statistics, emphasizing the importance of accurate reporting in addressing health issues in the country.