21 April 2003
Refurbished Hospital Reopens in Kabul with U.S. Support
(Improved facility is first step in plan to boost Afghan health care) (860)
The Rabia Balkhi Women's Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, reopened
April 21 after a six-month renovation project supported by the U.S.
departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense, according
to an HHS press release.
Restoring the damaged, ill-equipped facility is considered a
significant step toward improving health care in the country,
especially for women and children who currently die in large numbers
from preventable or treatable conditions. It will also serve as a hub
for national teaching clinics located elsewhere in the country in
order to expand the numbers of well-trained health care workers in
Afghanistan. An international study conducted several years ago found
only 11 doctors and 18 nurses per 100,000 Afghans.
"Today is a new day in Afghanistan, where we now have a new hospital
for women to receive topnotch health care and a new training program
that will provide the best of medical instruction to Afghanistan's
health care providers," said HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, who was
in Kabul to open the facility.
Following is the text of the HHS release.
(begin text)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
April 21, 2003
HHS Press Office
SECRETARY THOMPSON HELPS OPEN WOMEN'S HOSPITAL IN KABUL
HHS, Defense Team Up to Improve Maternal, Child Health in Afghanistan
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, Department of Defense (DoD) officials and
Afghan health officials today opened the improved and refurbished
Rabia Balkhi Women's Hospital in Kabul as part of the administration's
commitment to assist the people of Afghanistan, especially in the area
of maternal and child health.
After Secretary Thompson's trip to Afghanistan in October, HHS worked
with the Department of Defense to refurbish and provide training for
staff at the hospital, which -- after years of civil war and neglect
-- was in terrible condition, with no working plumbing, broken windows
and equipment, and few drugs and supplies.
By refurbishing the hospital and training medical staff, the United
States is committed to working with Afghanistan to reduce high infant
and maternal mortality rates. Currently, 40 percent of deaths among
women of childbearing age in Afghanistan are caused by preventable
complications related to childbirth. Additionally, an estimated one in
four children dies before reaching their fifth birthday.
"Six months ago, we made a promise to the people of Afghanistan to
help rebuild their nation's public health infrastructure," Secretary
Thompson said. "Today is a new day in Afghanistan, where we now have a
new hospital for women to receive topnotch health care and a new
training program that will provide the best of medical instruction to
Afghanistan's health care providers."
HHS has been active in Afghanistan since November 2001 conducting
health care assessments and assisting in immunization campaigns. The
first phase of this new activity is the refurbishment of the Rabia
Balkhi Women's Hospital. Additionally, President Bush's fiscal year
2004 budget includes $5 million to complete work on the hospital.
Nearly $3 million of the fiscal year 2004 funding will go to
purchasing equipment, drugs, supplies and teaching materials;
improving laboratory capabilities; paying staff and training Afghan
health care workers. The remaining $2 million will be used to staff
and equip four satellite clinics throughout Afghanistan.
HHS will turn its attention to the establishment of satellite teaching
clinics in Afghanistan once the initial needs of Rabia Balkhi have
been met. Each maternal and child health clinic would provide direct
healthcare to patients as well as training to health care workers at
all levels, including physicians, nurses, midwives, community health
workers and others.
The Ministry of Health in Afghanistan has requested that these
additional clinics be placed in four cities -- Herat, Kandahar,
Jalalabad, and Mazar-e-Sharif -- and, if necessary, HHS will work with
DoD to renovate existing facilities to serve as the teaching clinics.
With each clinic, the overall goal is to develop a team of trained
health care workers who can address the maternal and child healthcare
needs of the nation.
The following is a snapshot of health indicators for Afghanistan.
-- Infant mortality rate (2000) -- 165/1,000
-- Number of women who die annually from pregnancy related
complications: 17,000. Worldwide rank of Afghanistan in maternal
mortality: 2
-- Percent of children born who will not see their 5th birthday: 25
percent
-- Percent of children immunized against common diseases: 32 percent
-- There are not enough health facilities -- 50 of 330 districts do
not have a basic health center or immunization services.
-- In 1997, the World Health Organization estimated that there were
only 11 doctors and 18 nurses per 100,000 Afghans.
Rabia Balkhi Women's Hospital, which admits nearly 36,000 patients
each year and delivers about 40 babies a day, will serve as a base of
operations for the four teaching clinics in Afghanistan's rural areas.
Each teaching clinic would be managed on-site by a non-governmental
organization with extensive experience in providing training and
clinical services in Afghanistan. DoD and the U.S. Agency for
International Development are assisting HHS in establishing these
maternal and child health clinics and teaching centers in Afghanistan.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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