Humanitarian, health aid must not be linked to politics: Jalali — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Minister of Public Health Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali has called for increased and continued international assistance to Afghanistan’s health sector, stressing that humanitarian and health aid should not be linked to political issues. Jalali met with United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Human Rights Chief Fiona Fraser and her accompanying delegation at his office, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said in a statement. It said the delegation discussed the current state of health services in the country, improving equality in healthcare delivery, expanding public access to services and strengthening effective cooperation with international aid organisations. For his part, Jalali stressed the need to continue and expand cooperation between international organisations and Afghanistan’s health sector. He said increased and sustained international assistance was particularly important for providing quality and equitable healthcare, given the country’s health needs. He added that humanitarian and health assistance should not be linked to political issues and should be delivered in a timely manner, taking into account the needs of the Afghan people, humanitarian principles and health priorities.