KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has started a free eye treatment program for 4,000 patients in Balkh province, northern Afghanistan. according to the Taliban-run Afghan Red Crescent Society.
The four-day program, launched on Friday, May 22, includes diagnosis of eye diseases, surgeries, and the distribution of free medicine and eyeglasses. Officials say 400 patients will receive eye surgeries, while 600 people will be given prescription glasses.
KSrelief has supported similar programs in other provinces of Afghanistan, including Kabul, Herat, Panjshir, and Kandahar.
Eye diseases and blindness remain major health challenges in Afghanistan. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates more than 400,000 people in the country are blind, and about 1.5 million have visual impairments. Around 25,000 Afghans lose vision in one eye each year, with women being the most affected.
The country’s overall health situation has deteriorated since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Reduced international aid, widespread poverty, and restrictions on women’s participation have further weakened the already fragile healthcare system.
In recent years, hundreds of hospitals and health facilities have closed, mainly due to aid cuts, leaving millions—especially women and children—without access to essential medical care and increasing their vulnerability to disease outbreaks.
