Wars and Cancer Refugees: The Tragic Displacement and Death of Monisa Hamdam Qarizada
Afghanistan has been plagued by decades of war, political instability, and economic crisis, all of which have severely impacted its already fragile healthcare system. The country’s medical infrastructure is on the brink of collapse, with a dire shortage of hospitals, doctors, medical supplies, and even basic medications. Millions of Afghans are unable to access proper medical care, and for those suffering from chronic illnesses or life-threatening conditions, the situation is catastrophic.
Diseases that could be easily managed with early diagnosis and proper treatment—such as diabetes, celiac disease, heart disease, and cancer—are often left untreated, leading to unnecessary suffering and death. The lack of specialized doctors and diagnostic facilities means that many conditions go undiagnosed until it is too late. For many Afghans, surviving a serious illness is not a matter of medical science, but a matter of financial capability and sheer luck.
As a result, an increasing number of Afghans are forced to leave their country in search of medical care abroad. However, this journey is filled with insurmountable obstacles, including financial struggles, bureaucratic hurdles, and legal uncertainties regarding their status in foreign countries. The tragic story of Monisa Hamdam Qarizada, an Afghan journalist who lost her life due to the country’s failing healthcare system, is a heartbreaking reminder of this silent crisis.
The Life and Death of Monisa Hamdam Qarizada: A Journalist Silenced by Disease
Monisa Hamdam Qarizada was not just a journalist; she was a courageous voice for Afghan women and a fierce advocate for press freedom. As a magazine publisher and reporter, she dedicated her life to shedding light on the struggles of Afghan society. Yet, despite her resilience in the face of political and social challenges, she was ultimately defeated by a failing healthcare system that could not provide her with the medical care she desperately needed.
For nearly ten years, Qarizada suffered from celiac disease, a chronic autoimmune condition where the ingestion of gluten causes severe damage to the intestines. This disease, which is highly manageable with a proper diet and medical supervision, turned into a life-threatening condition due to Afghanistan’s lack of awareness, diagnostic facilities, and specialized treatment for celiac patients.
As her health deteriorated, her untreated condition progressed into colon cancer, a deadly yet preventable outcome. Early intervention and medical guidance could have saved her life in a functioning healthcare system. However, Afghanistan lacks oncological facilities, cancer screening programs, and trained specialists, making survival nearly impossible for cancer patients.
Realizing that she had no other options left, Qarizada made the heartbreaking decision to leave Afghanistan in search of medical treatment. Her destination was Pakistan, a neighboring country with better healthcare infrastructure. However, for a sick patient, such a journey is not just a logistical challenge—it is an emotional and financial burden.
Once in Pakistan, her diagnosis was confirmed, but the disease had already reached its final stages. The years of neglect, lack of proper treatment and misdiagnosis had sealed her fate. She passed away in a foreign land, far from home, simply because her country failed to provide her with basic medical care.
Her death is not just a personal tragedy but a stark representation of the thousands of Afghan patients who die each year due to preventable illnesses and a non-existent healthcare system.
The Hidden Refugees: Afghans Forced to Flee for Medical Care
Monisa Hamdam Qarizada’s story is not unique. She is one of many Afghans who have been forced to leave their country simply to seek life-saving medical treatment. This has created a new category of displaced people—health refugees.
The most common destinations for Afghan patients seeking treatment abroad are Pakistan, India, Turkey, and Iran. However, for many, these journeys bring new challenges, rather than solutions.
- Financial Barriers: Most Afghan families cannot afford the high cost of treatment in foreign hospitals. Many patients and their families go into extreme debt or rely on charity to cover medical expenses.
- Legal Uncertainty: Many Afghan patients travel on temporary medical visas, leaving them in a vulnerable position. They struggle to access extended care or government support in foreign countries without a stable legal status.
- Lack of Support Systems: Being a patient in a foreign country is an isolating and emotionally taxing experience. Many travel alone, leaving behind their families and support networks.
- Limited Access to Specialized Treatment: Some Afghan patients, after great financial and emotional struggle, manage to leave the country only to find that they still do not have access to the specialized treatment they need.
For those who cannot afford to leave, the situation is even more desperate. In Afghanistan, cancer patients often die without even receiving a proper diagnosis, and those requiring organ transplants or specialized surgeries are left without hope.
A Global Responsibility: The Urgent Need for Action
The collapse of Afghanistan’s healthcare system is not just a national crisis—it is a global humanitarian emergency. The international community must act to prevent more unnecessary deaths.
What Needs to Be Done?
- Investment in Afghanistan’s Healthcare Infrastructure: International organizations and governments must work towards rebuilding Afghanistan’s healthcare system by providing funding, medical training, and essential supplies.
- Access to International Medical Treatment: Countries that Afghan patients flee to for treatment must create special medical refugee programs to provide free or affordable healthcare to those in urgent need.
- Emergency Medical Aid Programs: Mobile clinics, telemedicine services, and cross-border healthcare initiatives could provide life-saving medical care to patients in Afghanistan who cannot afford to travel abroad.
- Raising Awareness About Chronic Diseases: Public health campaigns in Afghanistan can help educate people about diseases like celiac, diabetes, and cancer, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes.
- Stronger Humanitarian Aid Policies: NGOs and governments must work together to create medical sponsorship programs that allow Afghan patients to travel abroad for treatment without facing bureaucratic obstacles.
Conclusion: Monisa Qarizada’s Legacy and the Cost of Neglect
Monisa Hamdam Qarizada’s death is a painful reminder that healthcare is a fundamental human right, not a privilege. Her life, dedicated to journalism and truth, was cut short by a system that failed to recognize her worth—not just as a journalist, but as a human being in need of care.
Her story is not just about one person; it represents a silent epidemic of neglect, a crisis that demands global attention.
The world cannot afford to ignore this issue any longer. If Afghanistan is to have a future, its people must have the right to survive preventable diseases. Until then, thousands more will follow the same tragic path as Monisa Hamdam Qarizada—dying in foreign lands, simply because their own country could not save them.
