Acting Minister of Public Health Qalandar Ibad returned from a conference in Iran on Thursday.

Ibad said that he discussed capacity building, medical science, and new technology.

According to Ibad, the purpose of the trip was to talk about capacity building and hospitals under construction in Kabul and Bamiyan.

“The purpose of this visit was, how can we—the regional countries -- cooperate in various areas of the health system and be cooperative with each other, and how to share the experiences and use technology which is in different countries,” he said.

Ibad said that the Iranian health minister is expected to visit Afghanistan in the near future.

“The Health Minister of Iran and his delegation will travel to Afghanistan in the coming days and will evaluate the health conditions in Afghanistan,” he said.

This comes as doctors and health workers urged neighboring countries to provide assistance to Afghanistan’s health sector.

“The government of Afghanistan needs the aid of the neighboring countries. It is possible for our neighbors to invest in Afghanistan and they can send their doctors to train the Afghan doctors and share their experiences,” said Najma Sama Shafajo, a doctor.

This comes as some pharmacists expressed concerns over the restrictions imposed on importing medicine by neighboring countries.

“This is one the challenges, that when the medicine is imported at a low rate, the prices rise and thus the people face problems,” said Masoud, a drug store owner.

“The borders should opened for all. The medicine is low and the people need to have access to the medicine,” said Abubakar, a pharmacist.

This comes as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that of the 17.6 million people in need of healthcare assistance in Afghanistan in 2023, partners have prioritized reaching 15.6 million.