KABUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- In Afghanistan's persistent health and humanitarian crises, herbal medicines are surging in popularity, attracting citizens to natural remedies that fuse ancient traditions with modern demands, offering superior quality, minimal side effects, affordability, and healing amid scarce resources and resilient economies.
"Herbal medicines have benefited me more than any others. My treatment lasted just two months, and in that time, I regained my health completely," said Nooria, 53, a longtime sufferer of digestive issues and stomach acidity.
"Other doctors insisted I needed surgery, but this medicine healed me without it. I urge others to try herbal medicines too. The cost is far lower than modern drugs." Stories like Nooria's highlight the humanitarian impact of these treatments, providing hope and recovery to those facing barriers to conventional care.
Abdul Baqi Habibi, a consultant at a herbal medicine production company in the capital Kabul, said the consumption of herbal medicines is high "because patients have achieved good results and they have fewer side effects."
Comparing the two approaches, Habibi emphasizes affordability and caution. "Herbal medicine is cheaper than chemical medicine, but it should be used under a doctor's supervision."
Institutional backing is strengthening this revival. Last week, Afghanistan's Ministry of Higher Education launched the Faculty of Prophetic Traditional Medicine at Kabul Medical University, aiming to scientifically link traditional healing with medicinal plants, promote systematic treatment, and expand humanitarian access to culturally grounded, locally based healthcare solutions.
Economically, Afghanistan's vast array of medicinal plants, spanning asafetida, glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), nigella sativa (black cumin), caraway, cichorium, ginger, green cumin, cinnamon, thyme, and many others, serves as a vital lifeline. These resources, grown abundantly across the country, not only treat local diseases but also fuel economic growth.
Over the past nine months, the western province of Herat has exported an impressive 22,000 tons of these botanicals, valued at more than 24 million U.S. dollars, to international markets, marking a remarkable threefold surge compared to the same period last year and underscoring the humanitarian potential of sustainable trade in bolstering livelihoods.
Officials from Afghanistan's Ministry of Agriculture are further fueling this momentum, initiating efforts to expand cultivation and nurturing areas for medicinal plants nationwide.
By harnessing these natural resources through proper, scientific utilization, they aim to broaden exploitation scopes while sustainably developing farming regions, transforming traditional assets into pillars of health equity and economic humanitarian aid for a resilient future. ■