Hospitals in Afghanistan have been ordered by the Taliban regime to stop performing corneal transplants, after the procedures were deemed contrary to Islamic teachings.
The order, conveyed verbally by Taliban officials to surgeons, has led to the suspension of transplant programs in Kabul and Jalalabad, according to reports by The Telegraph.
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The decision has caused widespread concern, as hundreds of people with severe eye injuries risk permanently losing the ability to see.
A corneal transplant is a surgical procedure that can restore sight to patients with serious damage to this part of the eye and, in many cases, is the only alternative to permanent blindness.
Recently, a US medical charity had funded training for Afghan surgeons and provided donated corneas free of charge, allowing patients without the financial means to undergo treatment.
With the ban imposed by the Taliban, the initiative has been halted and many people have been left without access to a procedure that could change their lives.
The waiting list includes many young people who have lost their sight in explosions, accidents, serious injuries or incidents while welding metal. For these people, surgery was one of the few options for seeing again and returning to normal life.
Dr. Noor Zaman Hashim, from Noor Eye Hospital, confirmed the situation, saying surgeons had received verbal instructions from Taliban officials to stop performing such transplants.
He said doctors feared that failing to comply with the order could expose them to harsh penalties.
The suspension has heightened concerns about the future of healthcare services in Afghanistan, as hundreds of patients continue to wait for a chance to regain their sight.
