India has delivered more than 16 tonnes of medicines to Afghanistan to help fight vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and leishmaniasis, Taliban spokesperson Sharafat Zaman announced on Sunday.
According to Zaman, the shipment of medicines and diagnostic kits will support Afghanistan’s National Malaria and Other Vector-Borne Diseases Prevention Programme. He stated that the medical supplies sent by India will enhance Afghanistan’s capacity to combat diseases like malaria, dengue, and leishmaniasis.
In a post on X, Zaman wrote: “India Donates over 16 Tonnes of Anti-Vector Borne Disease Medicines to Afghanistan. The government of India has extended a significant gesture of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan by gifting over 16 tonnes of anti-vector-borne disease medicines and diagnostic kits to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). This donation is part of India’s continued commitment to supporting the health sector in Afghanistan and strengthening bilateral cooperation in public health and disease prevention.”
He further added, “The medicines and diagnostic kits will directly support Afghanistan’s National Malaria and Other Vector-Borne Diseases Prevention Programme. The supplies are aimed at enhancing the country’s capacity to combat diseases such as malaria, dengue, and leishmaniasis, which continue to pose serious public health challenges across several regions of Afghanistan.”
Zaman noted that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health has expressed appreciation for the Indian government’s timely and valuable assistance. He stated, “The Ministry noted that these medicines and diagnostic kits represent a crucial step toward improving public health infrastructure and ensuring effective disease control, especially in vulnerable and high-risk communities. This latest donation underscores India’s longstanding partnership and developmental support to Afghanistan. By contributing essential medical supplies, India reaffirms its role as a reliable partner in promoting health, stability, and humanitarian cooperation in the region.”
India’s latest medical support to Kabul follows the recent visit of Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi in October. On October 10, he met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, where both sides discussed India’s support for Afghanistan’s development, bilateral trade, territorial integrity and independence, capacity-building, and people-to-people ties, among other key issues. During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar described Muttaqi’s visit as an “important step” in advancing bilateral ties and announced the handing over of five ambulances to Afghanistan.
On the same day, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India had delivered additional food supplies to Afghanistan to support people affected by the earthquake. He added that the announcement was made by EAM Jaishankar during his meeting with the Afghan Foreign Minister.
