Kabul, Sep 14 (IANS): India has decided to grant $5 million to the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) for the treatment of Afghan children suffering from congenital heart disease, the Indian embassy said here on Monday.

The aid will be provided to the ARCS over a period of five years, said a statement from the embassy.

"Financial assistance provided by India will be utilised for the ongoing treatment by ARCS of Afghan children at Artemis, Max and Fortis hospitals in New Delhi," it said.

"These hospitals have offered special concessional rates for treatment of these children. The first tranche of $1 million has already been disbursed to ARCS and additional disbursement would be made over the next four years."

An agreement was signed between the Indian embassy and the ARCS in this connection.

The signing ceremony was attended by Amar Sinha, India's ambassador to Afghanistan; Fatima Gailani, president of the ARCS; Naim Dindar, secretary-general of the ARCS; Amena Afzali, former Afghan minister of labour and social affairs; and Salim Bahramand, health programme director of the ARCS.

Interacting with patients and their parents, Ambassador Sinha expressed satisfaction at being associated with this noble task undertaken by the ARCS.