The Ministry of Public Health has announced that a 200-bed hospital dedicated to cancer treatment will soon be inaugurated in Kabul.
According to health officials, the Ministry also plans to establish cancer treatment centers in other regional zones and efforts are underway to build the capacity of healthcare workers, particularly doctors, in this specialized field.
Doctors in Afghanistan consider the lack of a dedicated cancer treatment facility a serious challenge. They emphasize that Afghan doctors are capable of treating many illnesses, but due to insufficient resources, cancer patients face significant difficulties accessing care.
Specialists stated that once the cancer hospital in Kabul becomes operational, patients will no longer need to travel abroad for treatment.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a center in the country that can provide comprehensive treatment for all illnesses — neither in the public sector nor in the private sector,” said Mohammad Hashim Wahaj, a doctor in Kabul.
According to reports from international organizations, due to limited healthcare infrastructure in Afghanistan’s remote areas, cancer has become a “silent killer” across the country.
The health ministry reports that breast, stomach, and esophageal cancers are the most common types in Afghanistan, claiming hundreds of lives each year. In search of treatment, Afghans spend millions of dollars annually outside the country.
