KABUL - A special Japanese-funded hospital that would treat communicable diseases would soon take shape in the capital Kabul, after the foundation stone was laid by officials on Thursday. The hospital, costing $28 million, will be constructed on 2.5 acres of land in the Darul Aman area in Kabul's west and funded by Japan, Minister of Public Health Dr. Soraya Dalil said at the foundation laying ceremony.
The 80-bed hospital, 56 beds for tuberculosis (TB) patients, 24 beds for HIV and malaria patients, would reduce communicable diseases, especially TB, in the country, she added.

According to the World Heath Organization (WHO) 35,000 new cases of TB are registered each year in Afghanistan and 10,500 infect-patients die due to the disease, she said, adding that Afghanistan was ranked 22nd amongst the highly-infected TB countries in the world.

At the ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Afghanistan Reiichiro Takahashi said they have established 70 such health centers in the country.

Besides the construction of the building, Japan would also provide sophisticated medical equipment to the hospital. He also said his country had assisted the ministry in providing healthcare services for pregnant women, polio and TB patients.

He asked the Afghan government to accelerate its efforts in providing security for Japanese professionals working in the healthcare and other sectors in the country. (Pajhwok)