Afghanistan Times
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By Akhtar M.Nikzad-KABUL: For the first time an adult cardiac surgery center was inaugurated at French Medicine Institute for Children (FMIC) in Kabul on Saturday.
Speaking at the ceremony, French ambassador to Afghanistan, Jean Michel Marlaud, termed that investment in such centers as need of the hour. He said that currently scores of Afghan patients go for treatment abroad.
“France and its private sector partners are committed to expand quality healthcare services to other provinces of Afghanistan as well,” he said.
Minister of Public Health, Ferozuddin Feroz, commended FMIC’s performances and said: “Improving health care services is top priority of the government and stand committed to support every move to this end.”
He added that a large number of heart patients go for treatment to Pakistan and India. “Afghans spend $250 to $300 million on treatment abroad,” he said.
He said that opening of the center would enable Afghan patients to receive high quality treatment inside the country. Feroz said that the center is equipped with modern medical equipments, where both Afghan and foreign doctors will be perform cardiac surgeries.
Nurjehan Mawani, representative of Aga Khan Development Network, said that after inauguration of the center, there will be no need to go for cardiac treatment abroad.
She said that the hospital will perform complicated heart surgeries at a reasonable price as compared to foreign countries.
An estimate shows that 6,000 adult cardiac surgeries, 12,000 angiographies, 2,400 angioplasties and 163,000 consultations will be conducted in the hospital over the next 15 years. The new service costs US$ 1.7 million and is funded by the Aga Khan Development Network and La Chaîne de l’Espoir.
FMIC was founded in 2006 through a unique public-private partnership between the Governments of Afghanistan and France, the Aga Khan Development Network and La Chaine de L’Espoir, with the facility managed by the Aga Khan University.
