The Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health says that more than 43,000 free surgical operations were performed over the past year at Abu Ali Sina Balkhi Regional Hospital, a major public medical facility in Balkh Province in northern Afghanistan.
In a statement released Monday, the ministry reported that the total includes 10,376 major surgeries and 33,409 minor procedures, all carried out by specialized medical teams.
The hospital, located in the provincial capital Mazar-e-Sharif, also provided other large-scale health services during the same period. According to the ministry, over 466,000 patients received general medical consultations, 83,400 individuals were admitted for inpatient care, and laboratory services were provided to more than 122,000 people.
While the ministry has highlighted these achievements as a sign of progress in public healthcare delivery, the broader health system in Afghanistan remains under strain.
The lack of accessible healthcare facilities in rural and remote areas has placed an increasing burden on regional and central hospitals. Humanitarian agencies and medical organizations operating in Afghanistan continue to warn of shortages in personnel, equipment, and funding, especially as international support has declined since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
