Specialised hospital for treating heart defects opens in Kabul — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) on Sunday inaugurated a specialised hospital in Kabul to treat patients with congenital heart defects, saying the facility will have the capacity to treat up to 2,000 patients annually. The hospital was inaugurated in the presence of senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA). ARCS said the hospital would provide round-the-clock services and all treatment would be offered free of charge. Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi said Afghanistan had suffered extensive damage across various sectors as a result of decades of war, leaving many citizens facing serious challenges. He said more than 36,000 children with congenital heart defects had so far been registered, most of whom could not afford treatment. “Alhamdulillah, from now on these children will receive free treatment through this hospital,” he said. ARCS Director-General Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar said around 15,000 children with congenital heart defects had already received treatment at hospitals in Afghanistan with financial support from the organisation. He said other registered patients would now undergo surgery and receive treatment at the newly established cardiac hospital. “We assure the people that this hospital will provide high-quality medical services to Afghan children suffering from congenital heart defects, many of whom have waited for years for treatment,” Delawar said.