Summary According to a foreign news outlet, the authorities have instructed doctors to stop performing corneal transplant operations
KABUL (Web Desk) - Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have banned corneal transplant surgeries, reportedly declaring the procedure contrary to Islamic teachings.
According to a foreign news outlet, the authorities have instructed doctors to stop performing corneal transplant operations, a move that could leave hundreds of people without access to treatment to restore their eyesight.
Afghanistan’s Dr Noor Zaman Hashim warned that the ban could deprive hundreds of patients of a chance to regain their vision.
He said 90 corneal transplant operations had been performed at a hospital in Kabul before the restrictions were imposed.
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Hashim added that the Taliban had issued verbal instructions to halt the procedures, rather than announcing the ban through a formal written order.
Meanwhile, a US-based organisation has urged the Taliban authorities to lift the restrictions, warning that the ban has disrupted its humanitarian programme providing corneal transplant services.
Corneal transplantation involves replacing damaged or diseased corneal tissue with healthy donor tissue. The procedure can help restore vision in patients suffering from certain corneal conditions.
The reported restrictions have raised concerns about access to sight-restoring treatment in Afghanistan, where patients who rely on charitable medical programmes could face additional barriers to care.
