In Afghanistan, under a new decree from the leader of the "Taliban," Haibatullah Akhundzada, a faculty specializing in "traditional prophetic medicine" has been initiated, which will operate at the Kabul University of Medical Sciences. This information was reported by the Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan, which is under Taliban control, confirming that the structure of the new department has already been approved and is ready to launch. The information is provided by Amu.tv.
As noted by representatives of the ministry, the main goal of creating this faculty is to meet the demands for academic research and prepare specialists in the field of folk healing methods. Despite the fact that traditional medicine in the country has a long history, it has not yet been included in the official educational and regulatory system. This lack of training standards and oversight has created obstacles to recognizing this field as part of the national healthcare system.
Taliban representatives in the Ministry of Health expressed their intention to standardize folk medicine and integrate it into the state system. They refer to international initiatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), discussed at a recent meeting in India, emphasizing the desire to align Afghan medical traditions with global standards.
It is worth noting that this expansion of the educational structure occurs against the backdrop of serious international criticism of the Taliban. The country continues to impose a ban on higher education for women, including medical specialties and other areas of healthcare. International humanitarian agencies and medical experts express concerns that the exclusion of women from medical educational institutions may lead to a severe shortage of female medical personnel, which, in turn, will deprive millions of Afghan women and children of access to essential medical services.
