Hi this is tom power host q. On cbc radio. And i want to tell you about our new podcast. the q. Interview is a chance for you to hear some of our favorite conversations but on this podcast will go a little deeper. Maybe a longer. Sometimes we'll hear these conversations before they go on the radio and sometimes they'll hear things you won't have heard on the radio like when the girl told me he was thinking of moving to newfoundland or when barbra streisand told me the real reason she doesn't do too many interviews you can subscribe to the q. Interview wherever you get your podcasts in kabul pediatric hospital has run out of antibiotics and gauze in coast province. The associated press reports. Patients are being asked to buy their own syringes and across afghanistan hospital staff. Many of whom are not being paid are worried about how long they can keep things running. Since the taliban took over a month ago western governments have suspended hundreds of millions of dollars of funding to the country's healthcare system money. That's vital to making care available to those who need it. The reason part is that political leaders in washington and brussels want to exert pressure on the taliban controlled government dr waheed. Majuro was afghanistan's public health minister under its previous government and stayed on when the taliban took over we reached him in kabul joking to give us a picture of what it's like in the healthcare system right now in afghanistan The system Close to collapse. Health facilities are running out of medicine. Essential medicine few consumables How steph or not pay for the salaries for lots with like months and We have Those donors and You know national agencies contributed generously during last twenty years and Ah either internal limitations based in which they cannot continue their contribution to the health system. Which i just talked about when you talk about these donors because this has been so important to afghanistan right. These are the donors in the ngos that have conducted so many of the programs for women's health for the for childhood health. So what is happening with all that. Can you give us a sense of what it's like for the impact on women and children to see that donor money disappear insulted him Mothers the children are the first Group to be affected. Unfortunately we know many conduct about one hundred fifty two sections every day in home facilities and freezing. The funds means hundred fifty mothers more in need of addiction. Services will be deprived with a high number of them prone to that in the in fronts as well and when it comes to child health about five thousand children will be deprived of Ms ation services a day about nineteen twenty thousand Children will be deprived of nutrition services and the morale of the stuff but affected now He has not been paid. And it's not only about the salary we haven't been able to pry them food for the satisfying their patients. So it is. It is both and have been straight of failure and challenge as well as emotional all trauma and we know the world bank and other organizations. They have frozen more than a half. A billion dollars in in healthcare a is supposed to go to afghanistan and they the international donors are saying they will not support the government They won't give aid Because the taliban has people they have on their terrorism Lists and so. They won't supply money to a taliban government. What what do you say to that We have a donors who contributed Generalists and now they have their limitations. And i have no other options respect and be in work with them. The health service delivery and a of snow that's gone by non-governmental organizations in these non-governmental organizations could be paid directly could be paid for the union agencies could be paid through third party construction which could be non for profit for private sector. We're flexible to work. But did ministry of public health as a technical institution which has proven its neutrality and impartiality. It's completely left out of the communication and coordination mechanisms. That is very painful. And i expect. And i call donors work with the ministry at least the coordination buddy. You're saying that the donors can work directly with the ministry of public health. They don't they can go through the ngos. They can set something up as a parallel system. They don't need to give this money to the taliban for healthcare. You believe it's possible for them for the for the ministry of public health to have some independence from the the the main government donors can do the payment directly or through you agencies who the ngos but when it comes to coordination alignment to pharmacies and priorities. The of public health has distributorship rule governance tool and that should not be a made a dutch. With who do them on wync who said the priority who will make sure that it meets the needs of the society in how will coordinate. How would they do our petition. And not expecting the international. Doing those to get the money. I'm talking about technicality. Of the story when it comes to indicators when it comes to monitor twin when it comes to target-setting when it comes to priority setting the technical aspects filthy healthcare service delivery has to be coordinated with an minister of public health as a technical institution. Okay and that's priority. But sir you are still the minister of health within this government. You stayed on with the taliban power. Do you have any sense. The taliban regards public health the health of these women of these children is it a priority for them. Do they care about the health of afghan women and children. I'm going to benefit. What state on the province introduce their official new minister in cub in their health. Commission or working members are deputies working with me in the office and waiting for smooth funds for for the leadership. I've been trying to communicate the sense of urgency and extent of the challenge going expect and i not intending to continue for longer. I just stayed in l. fish to ensure a smooth transfer hopefully I'm praying that will happen soon. i just wanna make this. Finally the very important point you have been talking about. Which is that. It's not just that there are immediate health. Care needs of people afganistan but the past twenty years of building better healthcare. All of this. You believe you're going to lose. All of the momentum you have built in the past twenty years is that right. unfortunately that's right The great improvements we indicators food sixty percent decline and maternal pound rate in people's access. We have four or five hundred two thousand one thousand eight hundred now in. It is very difficult to see. This is dumb list. I respected decision. Of donors am standing. But i call them to wait for the ministry to find an alternative solution before it has to date before the system. Collapses miss majuro. The message that you're putting out to the world here. Is i think very important and i appreciate you sharing it with us. Thank you.