Peace deal could send more Afghan patients to Pakistan

The US peace agreement giving Afghanistan back to the Taliban offers medical tourism potential for Pakistan.

18 years ago, the USA and its allies invaded Afghanistan. An entire generation of Afghans grew up with war and conflict a daily norm. The peace deal backed by 50 countries, but not Iran, will see US and other international troops out of Afghanistan by May 2021.

The region has seen considerable difficulties due to terrorism and this peace agreement will open the way for Pakistan, via Afghanistan, to trade with Central Asia, which will strengthen Pakistan’s economy.

Pakistan is developing medical tourism. The peace treaty between the USA and the Taliban in Afghanistan will make it easier for Afghans to go to Pakistan.

Thousands of Afghans travel to India each month in search of medical treatment. However, Afghan patients prefer treatment in Pakistan. To get the business back Pakistan will have to organise, coordinate, facilitate and develop medical tourism in the country.

The commerce ministry has a new policy to regain market access in Afghanistan that was lost to other countries in the past few years. One of the major markets in the services sector is the promotion of tourism to Afghanistan. The sector with the most potential is Afghan medical tourism to Pakistan.

After the withdrawal of military hospitals, and despite a few new clinics and hospitals being built in the last decade, local health, and access to healthcare is very limited in Afghanistan.