The Herat Public Health Department has announced the launch of a joint capacity-building meeting between Iranian and Afghan doctors aimed at improving the quality of healthcare services in the province.
This scientific session focuses on advanced brain surgery, diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases, and obesity treatment methods, providing training to Afghan doctors in these areas.
Ghulam Mohammad Hanafi, deputy director of Herat’s public health department, stated: “To enhance capacity, doctors need to continuously update themselves with the latest developments in the medical field. This conference is one of the events where the most recent methods in treatment, laparoscopic surgery, and brain surgery are being taught to doctors, which will have a very positive impact on the quality and improvement of health services.”
The session is regarded as significant for advancing the quality of specialized healthcare services in Herat.
Meanwhile, several doctors say such programs are effective in improving the standard of advanced medical care for patients.
“The goal of this conference is to standardize healthcare services for the community. We are striving to expand these services further to offer high-quality care to our fellow citizens,” said Farid Ahmad Ejhar, a hospital director in Herat.
Masoud Khani, one of the Iranian doctors, remarked: “We have advanced from basic methods to sophisticated surgical techniques. These are being implemented by joint teams from Afghanistan and Iran—whether Afghan doctors travel to Iran or Iranian doctors come to Afghanistan. This process is a scientific exchange, allowing both sides to benefit from each other’s experiences.”
Ahmad Tareq Azizi, an Afghan doctor, added: “We are now performing procedures that previously had not been done in Afghanistan. Patients are being treated with modern methods. This conference is also passing on medical knowledge to the new generation of doctors.”
This joint medical meeting between Afghan and Iranian doctors is being held at a time when, according to health officials in Herat, recent improvements in healthcare services have enabled the treatment of many diseases within the country for the first time. These services are also said to help reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment.