By: Sara
The only center for the diagnosis of breast cancer has been closed in western Herat city, according to two sources working with the provincial health department.
The closure of the center deprived women of timely diagnosis of breast cancer which will ultimately lead to more deaths from the disease in the province, they said.
The center, which was a ward of the provincial hospital was closed, because most of its skilled employees have left Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power. They were evacuated to Italy where they had been trained.
One of the founders of the center, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said no one in Herat can operate mammography and sonography machines to diagnose breast cancer now. That is why the door of the center was locked.
“Lots of women, who have breast cancer, will die after the center’s closure,” she said. “Medical examinations, diagnosis, and chemotherapy are costly, and no one can afford for them in this situation.”
A maternity ward employee of Herat provincial hospital, who refused to give her name, said cancer diagnosed and treated a lot of cancer patients.
“The treatment of breast cancer patients was cost-free,” she said. “Italy paid for the salaries of the center’s employees.”
The center also provided chemotherapy treatment for patients.
The health sector in Afghanistan is on the verge of collapse. Thousands of health facilities have closed or not functioning anymore, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in February.
A 41-year-old woman, who has breast cancer, said she is visiting a private hospital for chemotherapy after the closure of breast cancer ward of Herat hospital. She said the cost of treatment in a private hospital has been “back-breaking” for her family.
Sakina Hussaini, a former member of Herat’s provincial council member and a women’s rights activist, called for the immediate reopening of the center.
“In the current situation, the World Health Organization, European Union, and other international organizations should prioritize the health sector,” she said. “They should train experts as part of their humanitarian assistance and send them to the country.
