WHO committed to deliver service to Afghan people: Regional Director
It also called on all parties to respect and protect civilians, health workers, patients and health facilities
The World Health Organization (WHO) today said it is committed to stay in Afghanistan and deliver critical health services to the public.
It also called on all parties to respect and protect civilians, health workers, patients and health facilities, said a statement from WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari.
"Months of violence have taken a heavy toll on Afghanistan's fragile health system, which had already been facing shortages in essential supplies amid the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
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As a result of the recent conflict, trauma injuries have increased in Afghanistan.
In July 2021, some 13 897 conflict-related trauma cases were received at 70 WHO-supported health facilities, compared to 4057 cases in July 2020.
WHO dispatched 33 units of different modules of trauma kits to Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital in Kabul on Tuesday that are enough to cover 500 surgical procedures for 500 trauma patients and 750 burn victims.
Additionally, they handed over 10 basic medical kits enough to provide essential medicines for 10,000 people for 3 months.
This week, WHO also provided Helmand regional hospital with 6 basic medical supply kits and one cholera kit to support the provision of basic medicines for 6,000 people for 3 months and the management of 100 cases of diarrhoea.
In the past week, WHO has also donated medical supplies to 3 health partners to sustain critical work at their health facilities by covering gaps in availability.
WHO and its partners have conducted an initial assessment of the health needs of displaced populations and have deployed 2 mobile health teams to provide medical services.
However, interventions have been on hold for the past 36 hours due to insecurity.
"There is an immediate need to ensure continuity of health services across the country, with a focus on ensuring women have access to female health workers," Dr Ahmed's statement read.
WHO also estimated that from January to July 2021, 26 health facilities and 31 health care workers were affected by recent conflicts and 12 health workers were killed.
WHO continues to work with partners to respond to COVID-19 with a focus on diagnosis and testing, surveillance, clinical care, infection prevention and control, vaccination, and referrals for recently displaced people in major cities.
