RASC News Agency: Residents of Azra district in Logar Province say that dozens of men and women have partially or completely lost their eyesight after undergoing eye surgeries performed by a medical team reportedly dispatched under the supervision of local Taliban authorities.
According to local residents, the medical delegation was sent to Azra district in recent weeks on the orders of Taliban officials in Logar to provide healthcare services to patients in remote communities. Residents stated that the group included several eye specialists who carried out surgical procedures on numerous patients suffering from eye conditions.
Local sources told media outlets that a significant number of the operations were unsuccessful and that many patients are now experiencing severe visual impairment. Some families claim that relatives who underwent surgery lost their eyesight entirely following the procedures.
Residents of Azra further alleged that several members of the visiting medical team lacked sufficient professional experience and technical qualifications. According to local accounts, the team reportedly included recently graduated doctors and individuals whom villagers described as still undergoing practical field training in rural areas.
As of the publication of these reports, Taliban authorities in Logar and officials from the public health sector had not issued any formal response regarding the allegations, and the exact number of victims has not been independently verified.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system has faced deepening crisis conditions in recent years. The World Health Organization and other international institutions have repeatedly warned that shortages of specialist doctors, weak medical infrastructure, and limited access to healthcare services in remote regions have placed enormous strain on the country’s medical system, particularly since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Medical experts warn that performing specialized eye surgeries without proper sterilization, adequate surgical equipment, qualified personnel, and professional oversight can result in severe infections, irreversible corneal damage, and permanent blindness. These concerns have intensified fears among residents regarding the condition of patients affected in Azra district.
The incident has also renewed broader criticism of the deteriorating healthcare sector under Taliban rule, where humanitarian organizations continue to report chronic shortages of trained personnel, declining institutional oversight, and collapsing medical services in many rural parts of the country.
