KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has rejected the World Health Organisation (WHO) figures on cardiac-related deaths in Afghanistan, saying the number recorded with the ministry is far lower and urged international bodies to coordinate with it before releasing such data.
In a recent report, the WHO expressed concern over the rising death toll from non-communicable diseases in Afghanistan, stating that heart diseases alone claim 40,000 Afghan lives each year.
According to the report, 43 percent of deaths in Afghanistan are caused by cancer, heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illnesses. It forecast the figure would rise to 60 percent by 2030, with women making up the majority of cancer fatalities.
However, in a statement, the MoPH said: “Based on the information and figures available to us, these numbers are neither accurate nor correct. The statistics with the ministry are several times lower.”
It added that in 2024, around 20,000 cases of hospitalisation for heart patients were recorded, but this did not equate to deaths— only admissions for treatment.
The ministry explained that the WHO figures were often estimates and, more importantly, no comprehensive survey had been conducted in recent years. Only data from health facilities was available, which was far lower than WHO’s statistics.
The MoPH reiterated its rejection of the WHO figures and urged international organisations to coordinate with it before publishing reports in order to prevent the dissemination of incomplete or inaccurate information.
