Afghanistan – Breast Cancer Diagnostic Centre opens in Kabul

Italy continues to stands by Afghan women with the opening of a Breast Cancer Diagnostic Centre at the Istiqlal Hospital in Kabul. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Afghan Minister of Health, Firozuddin Firoz, Italy’s Ambassador, Roberto Cantone, the Director of the Italian Cooperation Office, Rosario Centola, and health experts Arif Oryakhail and Marino Martin. Some Afghan MPs and the Afghan Health Councillor, Fawzia Alam, were also in attendance. Ms Alam read a message by First Lady, Rula Ghani.The Centre was built with a contribution of over three million euros by the Italian Cooperation as part of a broader project aimed at strengthening the provincial health systems of Kabul and Herat. The Centre has been equipped with laboratory and electro-medical equipment (laparoscopy, endoscopy and colonoscopy, mammography and echocardiography) and 50 medical and paramedical units have been trained. The Afghan Minister of Health thanked the Italian government for its constant commitment to strengthening the country’s health system by providing direct support to public health facilities. Italy’s Ambassador and the Director of Kabul AICS (Afghanistan Institute for Civil Society) emphasised that supporting the national health system has always been a key-priority for Italy in Afghanistan: Italy has given nearly 23 million euros since 2001 to implement health programs in the provinces of Baghlan, Baghdis, Herat, Kabul and Wardak.