India sends 10th batch of medical assistance to Afghanistan; 'continuing our help efforts'

In a breaking development, the Indian government delivered the 10th batch of medical aid to Afghanistan on Saturday, August 20, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"Today, India supplied the tenth batch of medical assistance as part of India’s ongoing humanitarian assistance. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul, " the press release from the Ministry read.

The statement further informed that in response to urgent requests from the United Nations to help the Afghan people, India has so far delivered 32 tonnes of medical aid in ten batches, including 500,000 doses of the COVID vaccine, anti-TB medications, and other important life-saving medications. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Kabul's Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital have received these medical supplies.

Arindam Bagchi, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs took to Twitter and said, "Continuing our efforts to support Afghan people. India supplied the tenth batch of medical assistance to Afghanistan today. These have been handed over to the World Health Organization and Indira Gandhi Children Hospital, Kabul."

Along with medical assistance, India has also sent wheat to Afghanistan as humanatarian assistance

On February 26, 2,500 tonnes of wheat sent by India as humanitarian help arrived in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, via Pakistan. On March 3, the second convoy of 2,000 MTs of wheat sent by India as humanitarian aid departed Attari, Amritsar, bound for Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

Additionally, on March 8, India delivered the third shipment of 40 trucks carrying 2,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan across the Attari-Wagah border.

The Indian team met with senior Taliban figures and travelled to Kabul to supervise the distribution of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in June. An evaluation of the security situation was also done during the visit.