The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The Afghan Red Crescent Society on Sunday inaugurated a specialized hospital in Kabul to treat patients with congenital heart defects, saying the facility will provide free treatment and has the capacity to care for up to 2,000 patients each year.
The hospital was opened in the presence of senior Taliban
officials, including Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul
Salam Hanafi.
According to the Afghan Red Crescent Society, the hospital
will operate around the clock and offer all medical services free of charge.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Hanafi said decades
of conflict had severely damaged Afghanistan's health sector and left many
people facing serious medical challenges.
"Afghanistan has suffered extensive damage across
various sectors as a result of decades of war, leaving many citizens facing
serious challenges," he said.
Afghanistan's healthcare system has struggled with shortages
of funding, medical supplies and specialized treatment since the Taliban
returned to power in 2021, with aid agencies warning that reduced international
assistance has placed additional pressure on the country's health services.
The new facility is expected to expand access to specialized
cardiac care for children and adults born with congenital heart defects, a
service that has remained limited in Afghanistan.
