The Medical Team Sends To Afghanistan By Pakistan

Afghanistan has a one-of-a-kind relationship with the country. They are separated by a 2,570km (1,600 miles) border. They are major trading partners. Numerous cultural, ethnic, and religious ties exist. Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai once called the two countries "inseparable brothers."

The time-honored favor by Pakistan for the Taliban doesn't mean it is not interested in the group's takeover of Kabul. Pakistani citizens have suffered significantly over the past years in the name of Islamist terror groups operating across the border from Afghanistan.

Pakistan's other major have to do with is the refugee crisis. The country already has approximately three million Afghan refugees from antecedent wars and cannot afford to support any more due to its ravaged economy.

Pakistan always wants good relations with its neighboring countries so the government of Pakistan also helped the Taliban government in many ways.

The medical team has been sent by the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) to Afghanistan to assist in the renovation of three hospitals as a part of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country.

Pakistan –funded hospitals in Jalalabad, Logar, and Kabul have finished their work with the medical team, including engineers and technicians.

These details were shared at the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC) meeting, which was attended by representatives from the foreign ministry, the interior ministry, the National Health Services, and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

It is told that the process of fitting and ordering medical appliances worth Rs2 billion is still ongoing.

Pakistani engineers and technicians team of four is working around the clock, to get medical equipment operational. This would contribute to the neighboring country achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

In addition to facilitating medical visas for patients at border crossing points, the assistance includes the delivery of emergency/life-saving medicines to Afghanistan. Pakistan recently announced the provision of medicines worth Rs500 million as soon as possible, to permit healthcare visas for patients.

The initiative is part of Prime Minister Imran Khan's humanitarian assistance package.

Pakistan has also agreed to provide training for capacity enhancement and institutional building of the Afghan healthcare system as part of its assistance for joint polio eradication coordination under the Polio Immunization Programm.

A pharmaceutical industry delegation will also visit Afghanistan in search of investment and to assist indigenous medicine production in Afghanistan.

Pakistan also eases travel and trade restrictions for the betterment of the Taliban government. The valid visa holders can now travel freely to cross the border, to make the visa line process easier e-visa facility also introduced by the government.

Visa fees are also renounced until the end of the year. A separate archive and fee demand for a "gate pass" has also been removed.

Afghan visitors seeking medical treatment in Pakistan or experiencing a clinical emergency will be allowed visas on appearance.

Border crossing hours have also been extended, with the pedestrian crossing passageway now open 12 hours a day, up from eight hours previously, and the trade corridor open 24 hours a day.