Dr Luo Dapeng, WHO Representative in Afghanistan, and Mr Kiyoshi Amada, Chief Representative of JICA, during the signing ceremony for a US $6.9 million joint project

21 January 2024, Tokyo, Japan – A delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan, led by WHO Representative in Afghanistan Dr Luo Dapeng, recently visited Japan to discuss strategic directions for the ongoing partnership. The visit coincided with the signing ceremony for a US $6.9 million joint project with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which aims to enhance the response capacity for infectious diseases in referral hospitals in Afghanistan.

The joint project, which seeks to address and mitigate the impact of communicable diseases on the people of Afghanistan, is set to benefit more than 76 000 people across the country. The project has a specific focus on 2 health facilities dedicated to the treatment of infectious diseases: Afghan–Japan Hospital and the National Infectious Disease Hospital, both in Kabul province.

Mr Kiyoshi Amada, Chief Representative of JICA, expressed his optimism for the project’s impact:

“I sincerely hope that this project will keep the people, including mothers, children and others, healthier and save their lives to contribute to human security in Afghanistan.” His remarks underscore Japan’s unwavering commitment to support the well-being and empowerment of communities in Afghanistan and beyond.

As well as the signing ceremony, the WHO delegation engaged in a series of meetings with directors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and His Excellency Mr Takayoshi Kuromiya, Ambassador of Japan to Afghanistan. The discussions centred on new funding of US $500 000 given by the Government of Japan to support WHO’s work in Afghanistan. This funding is dedicated to reducing morbidity and mortality due to communicable diseases among the Afghan population, with a focus on children aged under 5 years.

Dr Dapeng, WHO Representative in Afghanistan, highlighted Japan’s pivotal role in supporting the health system in Afghanistan: “Japan has a long history of cooperation in the fight against infectious diseases in Afghanistan. As one of the major partners, Japan has been working with Afghan health professionals to improve health care delivery and to develop Afghanistan’s human resources within the health sector.”

The collaborative efforts between Japan and WHO reflect the partners’ enduring commitment to advance health service delivery and combat infectious diseases in Afghanistan. The newly strengthened partnership will contribute to a safer and healthier future for the people of Afghanistan.

For more information, please contact:

Joy Rivaca Caminade, Head of Communications, WHO Afghanistan
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Nourhan El-Nagdy, Donor Communication Officer, WHO Afghanistan
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