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India reaffirms commitment to continue medical, humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: India has reaffirmed its commitment to continue humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda. Nadda and the visiting Afghan Minister of Public Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali met on Wednesday night. In the meeting, Nadda reaffirmed New Delhis commitment to Afghanistan and discussed ways to further enhance bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector. The two sides reviewed the ongoing health cooperation, and discussed ways to further strengthen collaborationin healthcare infrastructure. They also talked aboutmedical supplies and capacity building. Following the talks with the Afghan Health Minister, Nadda wrote on X, Held a productive meeting with Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, Afghan Minister of Public Health. Reaffirmed Indias commitment to continued humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan and discussed avenues to further strengthen this collaboration with particular focus on long term supply of medicines. Made a symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines, reflecting Indias commitment to support the medical needs of the Afghan people. A larger consignment of medicines, vaccines, and a 128-slice CT scanner is also being dispatched to Afghanistan, he added. Held a productive meeting with H.E. Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, Afghan Minister of Public Health. Reaffirmed Indias commitment to continued humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan and discussed avenues to further strengthen this collaboration with pic.twitter.com/LW8KD5lyNl Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) December 17, 2025 India has approved and implemented several key healthcare infrastructure projects in Afghanistan. These include the construction of five maternity and health clinics in the provinces of Paktia, Khost and Paktika, a 30-bed hospital in Kabul, and the construction or upgradation of major facilities such as an oncology centre, trauma centre, diagnostic centre and thalassemia centre in Kabul. Noting that India has supplied 327 tonnes of medicines and vaccines to Afghanistan over the past four years, Nadda said cancer medicines and one CT scan machine, as requested by the Afghan public health ministry, are ready for dispatch and will be delivered by the end of this month, a health ministry statement said. Nadda also said that India would work to ease access to medical treatment for Afghan patients. He also said that India has supplied 327 tonnes of medicines and vaccines to Afghanistan over the past four years. Proposals from the Afghan side for a radiotherapy machine and additional medical supplies are also being processed. India reiterated its commitment to providing free treatment in India to Afghan patients suffering from emergency and serious ailments, and to facilitating medical visas, the statement said. Since the launch of the new Afghan visa module in April 2025, more than 500 visas, including over 200 medical visas, have been issued in the last four months. Nadda also recalled India's broader humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, including the supply of food grains, medicines, vaccines and emergency relief material, as well as support for rehabilitation programmes in partnership with international organisations. The meeting concluded with both sides expressing satisfaction over the ongoing cooperation and reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening healthcare support for the Afghan people, the statement said. The Union Health ministry on X said, India reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation, with a focus on long-term supply of medicines. A symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines was made reflecting India's commitment to support the medical needs of the Afghan people. A larger consignment of medicines, vaccines and a 128-slice CT scanner is also being dispatched to Afghanistan, the ministry said. Afghan Health Minister Jalali also met Minister for AYUSH, Prataprao Jadhav, during which the two sides discussed setting up a traditional medicine institute and research centre in Kabul, training practitioners, and signing a bilateral cooperation agreement.

18 Dec 2025 6:59 pm