The country’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has expressed concern over lack of medicine and food items for the earthquake-affected people in Khost and Paktika provinces.
Officials of the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan called on the international institutions to increase their assistance, especially in the health sector for the residents of the provinces.
Spokesman of the Ministry of Public Health, Sharaf Zaman said that some national and international institutions have provided assistance and the process is going on, but most of the residential houses of the people have been destroyed they need more assistance than before in order their lives return to normal.
Nearly one week since the incident, still the residents of the two provinces complain about lack of health services.
They say that the hospitals of these provinces are facing shortage of health items.
“We have brought our patients here from Paktika, but there is no medicine, no x-ray and proper equipment,” one of the victims said.
Another resident says that here the hospitals are not equipped, there is no laboratory, no equipment for X-ray, and treatment is impossible here.
At the same time, the World Health Organization, the International Federation of the Red Cross and the International Organization for the Protection of Children of the United Nations announced the increase in their aids to the health sector and food for the quake-affected families. The WHO said that despite all the immediate efforts made by the UN Humanitarian Organization, health facilities have been damaged and destroyed. According to the figures, at least 1,036 people were killed, more than 1,500 others wounded and thousands of residential houses have been destroyed in the deadly earthquake.
However, officials in Khost province said that the United Arab Emirate wants to build a mobile hospital for the treatment of the victims.
Bahram Musa Director of Khost Airport said that talks for building a clinic was going on and the work was started to build a mobile clinic as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, head of Afghanistan Businessmen Council in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said that an air corridor has been established by the UAE in Khost province to supply that country’s assistance to the victims.
Ahmadi
MoPH concerns over lack of health equipment in Khost, Paktika
