The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, has provided mental health services to more than one million people across the country, according to an official announcement made on Monday. The initiative has also included training health workers and supporting the establishment of mental health units in provincial hospitals.
Speaking at a public awareness event on mental health, Dr. Manuel de Lara, WHO Representative in Afghanistan, emphasized that decades of conflict, economic hardship, and repeated humanitarian crises have made mental health a major public health priority in the country. He noted that the progress achieved in this area was the result of joint efforts by the Ministry of Public Health, WHO, and other health partners. Dr. de Lara added that supporting Kabul’s National Mental Health Hospital was also part of WHO’s ongoing activities in Afghanistan.
Mawlawi Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister for Health Service Delivery, stated that the ministry had intensified efforts to improve mental health services and had made considerable progress in the sector. He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to expanding these services, enhancing their quality, and making them more accessible to the public. He also noted that mental health-related health centers had been established in several provinces.
Dr. Waheedullah Afghan, Head of Mental Health at the Ministry of Public Health, described mental health as an essential component of overall health and stressed that protecting it was a shared responsibility among individuals, communities, and institutions.
Dr. Ahmad Sair Paason, Director-General of Disease Control and Prevention at the ministry, highlighted that mental health directly affects people’s daily functioning and all aspects of their lives. He added that public awareness, alongside other measures, plays an important role in protecting and promoting mental health across Afghan society.
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