KABUL, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Afghan authorities have broken ground on four new general health facilities in the country's southern provinces, marking a significant step forward in expanding access to medical services, the country's Ministry of Public Health announced on Monday.
The projects, valued at around 200 million afghanis (more than 3 million U.S. dollars), will be constructed in Shah Wali Kot and Daman districts of Kandahar province, as well as in Shamalzai and Chaharchino districts of Zabul province, according to an official ministry statement.
Once completed, the facilities are expected to substantially enhance healthcare delivery for thousands of residents in remote and underserved peripheral areas of these districts.
The initiative forms part of a broader national strategy to establish at least one healthcare facility in every district across Afghanistan.
Officials say the program aims to strengthen the public health system and improve resilience in a nation still recovering from decades of conflict. ■