Residents of Herat assert that amidst the current economic hardship, government hospitals serve as the sole recourse for patients seeking medical treatment, yet these facilities fail to meet patients’ needs. They accuse government health centers of inadequately delivering healthcare services and contend that despite levying charges, the Herat Regional Hospital fails to furnish essential medical care. They claim that this governmental hospital imposes “fees” on patients in dire economic circumstances, compounding patients’ challenges.
Some residents of Herat province say that the Herat Regional Hospital charges patients amounts ranging from 10 to 1000 Afghanis under the guise of medical examination fees, but fails to provide healthcare services to the patients. They allege that this hospital has an undesirable situation.
A document titled “Patient Diagnostic Examinations Bill” obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicates that the cost of all examinations is listed, and each patient is required to pay the specified amount.
The Herat Regional Hospital charges patients for medical examinations. According to the patient admission policy, each patient is required to pay a fee commensurate with the type of medical examination. According to the hospital’s protocol, patients are required to pay the following fees for conducting medical examinations: “Simple test 10 Afghanis, biochemical 30 Afghanis, histopathological 250 Afghanis, serological 70 Afghanis, simple X-ray 50 Afghanis, digital X-ray 100 Afghanis, ultrasound 30 Afghanis, other examinations 100 Afghanis, echocardiography 50 Afghanis, CT scan 500 Afghanis, MRI 500 Afghanis, endoscopy 100 Afghanis, ECG 20 Afghanis, mammography 100 Afghanis, and EEG 30 Afghanis.”
These Herat residents further state that they are struggling in dire economic conditions, and many families cannot afford these expenses. According to them, the Herat Regional Hospital patients who require a ward are charged with 200 Afghanis, for minor surgeries 100 Afghanis, major surgeries 500 Afghanis, and for specialized surgeries 1000 Afghanis.
Residents of Herat assert that despite paying fees, the situation of patients at the Herat Regional Hospital has not improved, and no services are being provided to patients. They continue to emphasize the lack of even basic amenities at this hospital.
Mohammad Azim, who visited this hospital to seek treatment for a family member, says that this healthcare facility is not a suitable place for patient care. Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, he states: “We came here with the hope that being a government hospital, our patient would receive proper treatment, but this is not the place for healing and recovery. When our patient was admitted, they charged us 200 Afghanis for the bed. When we went to the room, there wasn’t even a place to sit; we had to find a spot ourselves for our patient.” Mohammad Azim adds, “The Herat Regional Hospital lacks any healthcare facilities. Our patient needs oxygen desperately, and when they bring the oxygen cylinder, whether it is empty or the tube that brings it makes all the air escape instead of allowing the patient to breathe because it’s leaking. In short, there is no care for the patient, and it’s very filthy, making the patient even sicker.”
On the other hand, the absence of specialist doctors is another challenge that concerns patients at this hospital.
Hafizullah, a resident of Herat province who has been hospitalized by his brother in the neurosurgery and spinal surgery department of this hospital due to a traffic accident for a week, says that this department is managed by nurses. Hafizullah tells the Hasht-e Subh Daily: “My brother has been in the hospital for a week now. The facilities here are inadequate. Throughout the night, a specialist doctor comes by for only two minutes to check on the patients, and that’s all. Nurses who graduated from the institute a year ago are in charge of this department. Specialist doctors are absent. Even if 10 patients die, it doesn’t affect the department.”
Residents of Herat are expressing concerns about the inadequate facilities, services, and shortage of specialist doctors at the Herat Regional Hospital. Health sources confirm that the hospital is facing an unsuitable situation due to Taliban mismanagement and a decline in doctors’ salaries.
An anonymous but reliable source informs the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Herat Regional Hospital used to receive support from organizations, including salaries and facilities. However, due to a lack of support from aid organizations, it is now under Taliban management. The source explains that the Taliban initially halved the salaries of doctors and staff. For instance, those who previously earned 40,000 Afghanis now receive 20,000 Afghanis, while others who used to earn 20,000 Afghanis now get 8,000 Afghanis. This reduction significantly impacts their work and service delivery.
The source mentions that the absence of proper health management and the appointment of an individual by the Taliban as the head of the Herat Regional Hospital has led to the current situation in the largest healthcare facility in the western region of Afghanistan.
These concerns are rising, while recently the Taliban intelligence has detained at least four staff members of the Herat Regional Hospital. The detained individuals include the hospital’s head, a laboratory staff member, a doctor, and an administrative staff member. Their current status and fate are unknown at this time.