Islamic Emirate at a Glance

(Part 19)

Summary of the Most Significant Accomplishments of the Islamic Emirate

(2022 – 2023)

By: H.N

Improving Access to Healthcare Services

Through the complete eradication of administrative corruption, elimination of bureaucracy, apprehension of various actors in the healthcare sector, and uniform enforcement of laws in both public and private healthcare sectors, there has been a noticeable improvement in the delivery and accessibility of healthcare services.

In addition, the provision of necessary facilities and the establishment of 132 ambulance stations across the country, enhancement of the capacity of healthcare sector personnel nationwide, and the establishment and upgrading of healthcare centers at the central and provincial levels have contributed significantly to the improvement in healthcare service delivery.

Furthermore, the activation of services such as MRI and CT SCAN at central and provincial levels has elevated the quality of healthcare services and facilitated access to them. Moreover, the involvement of investors, aid organizations, and the general public has led to improved quality of healthcare services and enhanced public access to healthcare services in the country.

Another notable achievement in this sector is the centralization of the forensic medicine specialization program and the transfer of trainers and trainees from provinces to the central region, which has effectively resolved a 15-year-old issue regarding the training of forensic medicine specialists.

Continued monitoring and inspection of hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers have ensured compliance with healthcare regulations, and legal action has been taken against violators.

A: Increase Healthcare Specialists

with the reform and restructuring of the Ministry of Public Health’s general arrangement, skilled and experienced personnel have been recruited in the healthcare sector, alleviating the problem of specialist shortages in hospitals and health clinics. This has also led to the activation of healthcare centers and facilitated public access to healthcare services in the country. As a result of the reform and review of the organizational structure of the healthcare sector, a total of 4,000 healthcare professionals have been recruited and started working in the healthcare sector over the past year.

B: Provision of Healthcare Services for Women and Children

Equipping healthcare centers with modern and advanced facilities, hiring specialists and professional staff has significantly improved the rate of patient recovery. In addition to aligning nationwide vaccination programs and providing mobile and non-mobile services through health shelters, considerable attention has been given to treating malnourished children. The establishment of over a thousand outpatient treatment centers for children across 34 provinces has been undertaken to treat children suffering from malnutrition. Furthermore, increasing surgical beds from 3 to 13 in the pediatric surgery ward at Indra Gandi Children’s Hospital is another achievement in this sector.

C: Support for Domestic Healthcare Product Manufacturing

One of the priorities of the Islamic Emirate is supporting domestic healthcare product manufacturing. Over the past year, concerted efforts have been made in this regard, and necessary facilities have been provided to facilitate healthcare product manufacturing in the country. In line with this, a dedicated committee for domestic production has been established, and requirements for producing healthcare products have been met and estimated. Furthermore, to strengthen domestic production processes in the country, necessary coordination with supply chain aspects has been ensured, and domestic healthcare product exhibitions have been held within the country for market promotion.

Addressing Natural Disasters

Identifying areas at risk of natural disasters is crucial to implementing preventive measures. In the past year, the State Ministry for Disaster Management has conducted risk mitigation assessments for natural disasters up to the district level. As a result, 20 provinces facing high-risk flood threats and 4 provinces facing landslide threats have been identified.

A: Prevention and Reduction of Disaster Risks

Based on the conducted risk assessments, the State Ministry for Disaster Management, in collaboration with United Nations organizations and national and international institutions, has undertaken numerous projects to enhance resilience against disaster risks. These initiatives have resulted in safeguarding the lives and properties of families, public facilities, agricultural lands, and residential buildings:

• Implementation of 120 projects including the construction of retaining walls, sea route cleaning, canal renovations, road construction, resettlement, and gabion walls nationwide.

• Rehabilitation and reconstruction of approximately 25,000 affordable housing units for families whose homes have been destroyed and or damaged due to natural disasters.

• Demolition of 13 potentially landslide-prone rock clusters in two areas of Kabul city that posed a threat to the homes of residents in the region.

• Completion of surveys and assessment of vulnerable points to disaster risks in Nuristan, Kunar, Logar, Takhar, Paktika, Paktia, Parwan, Sar-e-Pul, Farah, Zabul, and Baghlan provinces, providing necessary facilities and preventive measures for disaster management in these provinces.

• Resuming vulnerability assessments of fuel tanks, gas facilities, and commercial centers in Kabul city to reduce risks and safeguard the city.

• Clearance of blocked transportation routes due to rainfall and snowfall in 25 provinces, ensuring access for people to cities, healthcare facilities, commercial areas, and food markets.

• Assessment and rehabilitation of commercial centers.

B: Assistance to Victims of Natural and Non-Natural Disasters

In the past year, alongside preventive measures to mitigate natural disasters, cash and in-kind assistance has been provided to affected individuals and families in the following manner:

• Distribution of food, non-food items, and cash assistance to 812 injured individuals, 707 families of martyrs, and approximately 3,000 vulnerable families.

• Distribution of food, non-food items, and cash assistance to 965,000 affected families due to natural and non-natural disasters in the country.

• Transfer of aid packages, including food, non-food items, and healthcare items, for storage in strategic and vulnerable areas of the country for emergency use.

• Distribution of 160 million Afghanis for the families of martyrs and earthquake victims in Paktika and Khost provinces.

C: Mine Clearance and Unexploded Ordnance

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has cleared approximately 65 kilometers of contaminated areas with mines and unexploded ordnance in the past year. In total, 2,000 anti-personnel mine rings, 625 anti-tank mine rings, 3,200 handmade mine rings, and approximately 3,000 unexploded ordnances have been collected and safely disposed of.

D: Signing Agreements and MoUs

The Islamic Emirate, in order to reduce risks and address the needs of affected individuals due to disasters, has signed 87 MoUs with national and international institutions within the country. The signing of these agreements has strengthened the involvement of relevant stakeholders in disaster management in the country.

Moreover, attracting humanitarian aid including food, clothing, spices, fuel, and gas to address the situation of disaster-affected individuals has been a tangible achievement of the Islamic Emirate in the past year.

Continued…

Reference: IEA’s Accomplishments