MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): A charity organization, in cooperation with the Afghan Red Crescent Society, has launched a four-day free eye treatment campaign in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province. Razwan Baloch, head of the Al-Basar International Foundation, told the media that 17 eye specialists will examine around 4,000 patients and perform 400 free eye surgeries during the campaign. He said the program has been launched with financial support from Saudi Arabia and, in coordination with the Afghan Red Crescent, will also be extended to other provinces of Afghanistan based on need. Mohammad Hanif Khalid, head of the Afghan Red Crescent Society in the northern region, expressed gratitude for the foundation’s cooperation. He noted that many people previously had to travel abroad for eye treatment at significant cost, but such services are now being provided locally and free of charge. Local residents benefiting from the campaign expressed their appreciation, saying financial hardship had prevented them from seeking treatment earlier. Anar Gul, a resident of Chahar Bolak district in Balkh province, told Pajhwok Afghan News that she had been suffering from cataracts for three years but could not afford surgery. He is now receiving free treatment and has also been given some medication. He expressed gratitude for the support provided by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center. It is worth noting that this team of doctors previously examined thousands of patients in Kabul and Herat, performed hundreds of surgeries, and distributed eyeglasses to many in need.