Kabul – The leadership of the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has issued a formal warning to certain international aid organizations found to have imported large quantities of expired and substandard medicines and food products into the country. The announcement was made during a press conference organized by the Ministry’s Directorate of Food and Drug Regulation.
The conference, held at the Government Media and Information Center (GMIC), was attended by H.E. Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, Minister of Public Health; central directors of the Ministry, and representatives of national media outlets.
In his remarks, H.E. Minister Jalali emphasized that the Ministry of Public Health is fully responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of food and medicine across the country. In line with this mandate, the Ministry is actively working to prevent the distribution and consumption of products that are prohibited, substandard, unsafe, or known to cause illness.
Minister Jalali further stated that the Ministry had successfully blocked the distribution of nearly 7,000 metric tons of substandard food items—specifically, Super Cereal and Premix products—imported into Afghanistan by the World Food Programme (WFP). Additionally, the Ministry has halted the distribution of 650 expired tuberculosis diagnostic kits provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and accountability, H.E. Minister Jalali stressed that the purpose of disclosing these actions is to encourage international donors and partner organizations to ensure the proper management and effectiveness of assistance delivered in the name of the Afghan people.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Health presented a summary of its key achievements and activities over the past year. These included quality assessments of domestic products, expanded monitoring and supervision efforts, and other regulatory initiatives aimed at strengthening the health system.