KABUL: Mawlavi Noor Jalal Jalali, Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, says efforts are ongoing to achieve self-sufficiency in the country’s health sector and improve access to medical services.
Speaking at a four-day capacity-building workshop for health workers in Kabul, Jalali said the goal is to both expand healthcare services for countrymen and reduce reliance on external organizations.
He acknowledged challenges in the performance of some health institutions in certain provinces, noting that the ministry working with UNICEF has intensified monitoring to ensure services meet contractual standards or to halt contract renewals where necessary.
Despite existing restrictions, Jalali said more budget resources are being allocated to the health sector to improve service delivery.
He added that while healthcare access in remote areas faced major difficulties over the past two decades, health centers have now been established in all districts across Afghanistan.
The minister also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize diagnostic services through the use of advanced technology and to strengthen the capacity of medical staff nationwide.