Doctors Worldwide has been working in this war ravaged, impoverished country since 2001. An initial assessment in the south of the country highlighted the poor level of education of medical staff and the almost complete absence of medical infrastructure. DWW resolved to help in both these areas.
During the war at the end of 2001, DWW help supply emergency first aid kits to the population and help paid the wages of one of the few local surgeons who continued to work despite the danger to himself. Medical volunteers provided basic medical care to displaced persons at the camps in Spin Boldak, just inside the Afghani border.
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In January 2002, DWW entered into an agreement with the local government and then the ministry of health to run the hospital of Qalat in Zabul province. This district general hospital was one of the few functioning in the whole of south Afghanistan outside of Kandahar. The hospital itself was repaired and internal alterations made, followed by the installation of a new laboratory and trained lab technician. A new x-ray machine and an ambulance were donated to the hospital. New staff, including a surgeon and more trained nurses were added to the hospital and the complete project ran for a period of 2 years before being handed back to the Ministry. During this time medical volunteers were sent to undertake work and to help in the further training of medical staff.
DWW organized a seminar with UMICPT ( University of Missouri International Centre for Psychological Trauma) to train local mental health practitioners and teachers to work with psychologically traumatized children and their families. It was held in Islamabad between 29 December 2003-3 rd January 2004. 20 doctors and Mental Health practitioners attended this course from Afghanistan. They were from Kandahar Medical School, MOH of Afghanistan regional officers and local healthcare professionals from Kandahar area.
On 17 th January, 2004 DWW organised a first aid course, presented to the lecturers of Kandahar University and medical school. This course designed to suite the needs of a population without easy access to well equipped hospital. It included sections on choking, basic airway management, stopping bleeding, burns and fracture management.
A memorandum of understanding was reached between Doctors Worldwide and the Chancellor of Kandahar medical school, DWW agreed to help improve training of the students at the school. Two complete sets of books required for the five year student programme was donated to the library. Volunteer medical staff have begun providing additional basic teaching lectures and seminars to the eager students.
As an extension of the first aid training, DWW has begun providing basic medical training to local junior doctors and medical students. The training to junior staff is undertaken at the AHDS(Afghan Health Development Scheme) centre. DWW has maintained links with the medical school, having already provided an extensive range of new medical books for the bare and depleted medical library, it was at the behest of the Dean at the medical school that we shall provide lectures and seminars in the medical curriculum. |
