Officials of Badakhshan University have announced that, based on the directive of the leader of the Islamic Emirate, the establishment of a Faculty of Medicine at the university has been approved.

The president of Badakhshan University stated that the estimated cost of the teaching building and the associated hospital is over 260 million afghani, and construction is scheduled to begin next year.

The goal of establishing this faculty is to expand standard higher education in the field of medicine, provide quality healthcare services, and address the health issues of the people in Badakhshan.

 “The Faculty of Medicine will be established with three departments. The estimated cost for the teaching building is 68 million afghani, and the cost for the associated hospital is 200 million afghani. Construction work on this project will commence next year,” said Nazar Mohammad Niazi, the head of Badakhshan University.

Some residents of the northeastern zone see the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine as a significant step toward improving healthcare services and addressing existing challenges in the region.

 “Badakhshan province and other provinces in the northeastern zone face a shortage of qualified academic staff. This initiative can address this shortage,” said Abdul Baais Hakimi, a resident of Badakhshan.

 “The four provinces in this zone were in serious need of a Faculty of Medicine. We are very pleased with this initiative,” said Ghulam Ali, a resident of Takhar.

Meanwhile, several girls in Badakhshan have expressed their interest in studying at this faculty and have called on the Islamic Emirate to reopen educational institutions for girls.

 “With the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine at Badakhshan University, we also wish to study in this faculty. We ask the Islamic Emirate to provide opportunities for girls’ education,” said Fawzia Frotan, a resident of Badakhshan.

 “Our demand is that educational opportunities for girls be provided within the framework of Islamic Sharia,” said Asiya Amani, another resident of Badakhshan.

The Faculty of Medicine at Badakhshan University was initially established in 1998 by a decree of then-President Burhanuddin Rabbani and operated until 2004; however, its activities were halted due to a lack of qualified academic staff and the absence of standard hospitals for practical training.