Afghanistan: Negotiations to bring 500 tonnes of urgent medical supplies ongoing, says WHO

The items, which are stuck successful Dubai, were owed to participate the state this week but person been delayed arsenic commercialized flights are not being allowed into the planetary airdrome successful the capital, Kabul. 

Dr. Richard Brennan, WHO Regional Emergency Director based successful Cairo, said the bureau is exploring options, and hopes to person “some much encouraging details” successful the coming days. “We are successful negotiations with the Governments of 3 oregon 4 countries,” helium told journalists, adding that helium was not astatine liberty to sanction them.  

“I deliberation we volition beryllium capable to unafraid flights to bring the supplies in, and successful each likelihood into Kabul airport. And past of people determination is the somewhat analyzable logistical cognition of unloading the planes, making definite that trucks tin travel into the airdrome securely and safely, and depart safely and securely.” 

Stocks moving low 

WHO, which has been successful Afghanistan for 7 decades, underlined its committedness to enactment successful the country, and to physique connected advancement implicit the past 20 years, including successful reducing maternal mortality and kid mortality.  However, its aesculapian supplies are moving low. 

“Usually successful each state we person exigency stock,” said Dr. Rana Hajjeh, Director of Programme Management astatine the Regional Office, speaking done an interpreter.  

“In the existent situation, we launched oregon released astir 70 per cent of the exigency banal that we bash person successful the country. This banal would lone beryllium capable for 1 week, truthful we would request each kits, aesculapian supplies, instrumentality much than ever.” 

WHO precocious conducted assessments to reappraisal the wellness concern connected the ground. While astir large wellness facilities are functional and accessible, crossed the state they are experiencing captious proviso shortages, according to Dr. Dapeng Luo, the agency’s Representative successful Afghanistan. 

Dr. Luo underlined the urgent request for reproductive wellness services, intelligence wellness services, hygiene kits for recently displaced people, and nutritional supplements for children. “Our appraisal reveals that work transportation is being supported by the Taliban wellness authorities without immoderate unit connected wellness staff,” helium said, speaking from Kabul. 

“Health workers person been called to instrumentality to enactment oregon stay successful their posts, including pistillate wellness workers. However, immoderate pistillate wellness workers are not returning to their posts, and immoderate person resigned from their positions owed to ongoing insecurity situation.” 

Some pistillate wellness workers person resigned from their positions owed to ongoing insecurity concern Dr. Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative successful Afghanistan 

Pandemic and polio 

Afghanistan has besides experienced what Dr. Luo described arsenic 3 important waves of COVID-19 infections, and WHO fears the existent upheaval and displacement could spark an increase. 

Nearly 160,000 cases of the disease, and much than 7,000 deaths, had been recorded arsenic of Monday. Insecurity has besides caused COVID-19 investigating rates to decline, with a astir 80 per cent driblet past week erstwhile compared to the erstwhile week.   

With little than 5 per cent of Afghans vaccinated, astir 2 cardinal people, WHO and partners are moving to standard up surveillance, investigating and vaccination among displaced populations. 

‘Staying beardown and delivering’ 

Meanwhile, Afghanistan and Pakistan stay the lone countries which person not eradicated chaotic poliovirus. Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, underlined the request to enactment now, arsenic determination was 1 lawsuit successful each state for the twelvemonth truthful far. 

“As the existent events proceed to unfold, WHO is afloat committed to staying and delivering successful Afghanistan,” helium said, speaking connected behalf of the agency’s astir 700-strong staff, who are moving successful each 34 provinces. 

“We present request the enactment of our donors and partners to number connected us, to enactment with america and assistance america to prevention lives, beforehand wellness and assistance america to service the vulnerable.”