26 November 2024, Cairo/Kabul – WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy recently concluded a 3-day visit to Afghanistan where she met with the country’s de facto authorities, health officials and humanitarian partners to discuss critical health priorities. Central to the discussions were Afghanistan’s efforts to eradicate polio, promote equitable access to quality health care, address substance use disorders and invest in a sustainable health workforce.
During her visit, Dr Balkhy travelled to Mazar-e-Sharif in the country’s northern region, where she inaugurated the Balkh 50-bed Women and Children Drug Addiction Treatment Centre, one of 12 drug addiction treatment centres receiving vital support from WHO and partners. She also visited the 50-bed Infectious Diseases Hospital, interacting with patients and health workers, where she stressed the critical importance of enhancing medical staff capacities and improving accessibility to health care services for vulnerable populations throughout Afghanistan.
Substance use is a growing public health challenge in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and in Afghanistan particularly. With more than 4 million people in the country struggling with substance use disorders, there is an urgent need for focused actions and global support. To address this urgent issue WHO, together with its partners, aims to reduce morbidity, mortality and the social costs associated with substance use disorders through contextualized, evidence-based public health interventions.
Dr Balkhy highlighted WHO’s commitment to providing support to people with substance use disorders, and
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