Feature: Chinese medicines emerge as a bridge of health amid Afghanistan's healthcare struggles

An employee sorts out medicines at a pharmacy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2026.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

KABUL, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Esmatullah, a 32-year-old taxi driver in Kabul and the sole breadwinner for a family of 10, spends more than 1,000 afghanis (nearly 16 U.S. dollars) per month on medicines prescribed for his wife, who suffers from a neurological illness. While alternatives are available, rising prices still strain his limited income.

"Prices are higher than before," he said quietly. "In the past four months alone, we have spent nearly 5,000 afghanis (about 77 U.S. dollars) on medicines."

When the land border crossings with Pakistan were abruptly shut, panic quietly spread through pharmacies, hospitals, and thousands of Afghan homes. For many families already struggling with illness, the sudden fear was not only about politics, but it was also about whether the next dose of life-saving medicine would arrive at all.

Compounding the border woes, reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Health Cluster in December 2025 revealed a deepening humanitarian shadow: Nearly 445 health facilities suspended or closed operations due to funding shortages, driven by cuts in international aid, including from the United States. This left 3.79 million people in 33 of 34 provinces without essential healthcare, a stark reminder of Afghanistan's fragility.

However, Afghanistan's pharmaceutical market quietly adapted. New supply routes were activated, alternative trading partners stepped in, and most decisively, Chinese medicines began filling the gap, arriving reliably, affordably, and at scale.

Aziz Ahmad Ahmadi, a veteran wholesaler in the Afghan capital, Kabul city, with more than two decades in the trade, spoke with genuine enthusiasm about this shift. "Currently, about 25 percent of Afghanistan's medicine needs are met by Chinese products."

Ahmadi highlighted how Chinese pharmaceuticals, from injections and tablets to soothing syrups, are priced roughly 15 percent lower than counterparts from India or Iran.

Mohammad Yaqub Mangal, acting head of the Afghanistan Union of Medicine and Medical Equipment Importers, painted a stark picture of dependency: "Only about 20 percent of medicines are produced domestically. The remaining 80 percent are imported."

Mangal said that Chinese pharmaceuticals and equipment now in the market are substantial. "Chinese surgical instruments, syringes, syrups, and medicines are widely embraced," Mangal told Xinhua. "They are affordable, and their quality is acceptable for our market."

Currently, Afghanistan has 130 pharmaceutical factories producing more than 600 types of medicines, according to the official data from the Ministry of Public Health. Still, domestic production falls far short of national demand.

In early November 2025, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghanistan's deputy prime minister for economic affairs, openly urged traders and industrialists to pivot toward alternative markets, particularly in neighboring countries.

In this context, China stands out as Afghanistan's most favorable and reliable external source of medicines and medical equipment. For many Afghans, Chinese pharmaceuticals represent more than affordability, they represent continuity of care, stability, and dignity.

Across pharmacies and clinics in Kabul and beyond, there is a growing sense of cautious optimism. Patients, traders, and health workers alike hope that the presence of Chinese medicines in Afghanistan will continue to expand, ensuring that access to essential treatment remains within reach for millions. ■

Staff members arrange medicines at a pharmacy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2026.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

A customer purchases medicines at a pharmacy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2026.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)