Recently, the Pakistani government has implemented stricter regulations regarding the treatment of Afghan patients at the Pak-Afghan Torkham border. Now, patients without proper travel documents will no longer be permitted treatment except in emergency cases.
The decision comes after the enforcement of passport and visa requirements at the Torkham border, leading to significant challenges for Afghan patients seeking medical assistance.
Obtaining visas, especially in urgent situations, has been exceedingly difficult, prompting the Pakistani government to grant limited exceptions for emergency cases accompanied by a doctor.
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Previously, Afghan hospitals would issue referral sheets to patients, directing them to seek treatment at hospitals in Peshawar after initial examination at the Torkham Pak-Afghan Friendship Hospital.
According to a doctor at the Pak-Afghan Friendship Torkham Hospital, nearly a hundred Afghan patients were admitted daily as an act of goodwill. However, recent directives from the government have restricted referrals to only the most critical cases.
Consequently, Afghan patients now face heightened challenges accessing medical care following the imposition of the new regulations.
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18 Apr, 2025