Taliban Health Delegation Visits Russia to Boost Pharma, Food Cooperation

DID Press: A delegation from the Taliban-run Public Health Ministry, led by Deputy Minister for Food and Drug Hamdullah Zahid, has traveled to Russia to expand bilateral cooperation in the supply of quality medicines and food products.

According to the ministry, the visit is part of ongoing efforts to standardize pharmaceuticals and food supplies in Afghanistan and reduce reliance on unregulated imports.

Officials said strengthening ties with countries that have advanced production capacity—such as Russia—could play a key role in meeting the country’s health and food needs.

During the trip, the delegation is expected to meet with Russian regulatory authorities overseeing pharmaceuticals and health products. Discussions will focus on aligning technical standards, facilitating drug registration processes, enhancing quality control mechanisms, and establishing legal and technical frameworks for long-term cooperation.

The delegation is also scheduled to visit major pharmaceutical manufacturing companies to assess production capacity, evaluate product quality, and review advanced technologies in manufacturing, packaging, and regulatory oversight.

Taliban health officials emphasized that a core objective of the visit is to create pathways for importing safe, standardized, and reliable medicines and food products for Afghan traders. They added that such measures could help reduce the circulation of low-quality drugs, improve public trust, and strengthen overall public health outcomes.

Exploring opportunities for joint investment in pharmaceutical production and packaging is also on the agenda, as Afghanistan seeks to build domestic capacity through technology transfer and foreign investment.