Health Minister Announces Specialist Quotas for Deprived Provinces at Kabul Workshop

The Ministry of Public Health has initiated a four-day workshop in Kabul focused on enhancing coordination and building the capacity of provincial public health officials.

In his speech at the opening of the event, Maulvi Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, announced that a special quota of specialist positions will be allocated specifically to deprived provinces. Additionally, he stated that those who take the specialization exams must commit to serving for two years at district health centers.

Jalali underscored the necessity for the health sector to achieve self-sufficiency, improve the quality of primary, secondary and tertiary health services and ensure that all projects are in line with the real needs of the population. He called on all stakeholders to make serious and coordinated efforts, in cooperation with the public, to eradicate polio once and for all, noting that Afghanistan and Pakistan are among the last countries with ongoing cases.

Representatives of UNICEF and WHO participated in the workshop. They described polio eradication as a top priority and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Ministry. The representatives highlighted the current challenges, pointing to 21 polio cases registered in 2025 and three cases reported so far this year.

Jalali also mentioned that the contracts of organizations that fail to perform adequately will be terminated. He emphasized the importance of strict monitoring of their activities to make sure that assistance effectively reaches the intended recipients.