Healthcare and Nutrition Program
Sustainable growth requires a healthy life and the promotion of well-being. But half of the world’s population still lacks access to basic health services according to the United Nations. The Humanitarian Assistance Society, guided by the continuous focus of the Quran on good health, has devoted itself to providing health services for the disadvantaged and communities.
The WHO states that children are at a greater risk of dying before the age of 5, if they are born in poor households, rural areas, or to mothers denied basic education.
We are also proud to have implemented several longer term health projects: In different provinces of Afghanistan Humanitarian Assistance Society implemented a long term project of nutrition, hygiene, and Cataract.
Malnutrition Programme
In Afghanistan, four out of ten children suffer from chronic malnutrition. In addition, the country regularly experiences extreme seasonal degradations of the food and nutritional situation. To respond to these challenges in the worst affected areas of Afghanistan, the Humanitarian Assistance Society launched a malnutrition project with the help of its donors. The project was implemented in the 15 most vulnerable provinces of Afghanistan. By the end of the project, the following were the outcomes:
• 7803 children > 5 years suffering SAM (SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION) detected and treated.
• 9003 children > 5 years suffering MAM (MODERATE ACUTE MALNUTRITION) detected and treated.
• 3,136 PLWs (Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome) suffering from malnutrition detected and treated.
• 32 newly hired staff (30 nurses & doctors of the clinics and two technical staff) trained on IMAM (integrated management of acute malnutrition).
• 12 new employed midwives of the clinics and two technical staff of NHCD) trained on IYCF (Infant and Young Child Feeding).
• 75 religious leaders got one-day nutrition orientation training.
• 104 members of health shura got one-day nutrition orientation and MUAC training.
• 1500 PLWs (Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome) got half-day MUAC training.
• 1500 MUAC tap distributed to 1500 Child-Bearing Age and Pregnant and Lactating Women.
• 300 Wall painted for public nutrition awareness (mapping) in 15 fixed health clinics in 15 provinces.
• 98 Metric ton (7072 cartons) RUTF (ready-to-use therapeutic food) supplied and distributed to eligible SAM (SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION) patients.
• 81.072 Metric ton RUSF supplied and distributed to eligible MAM (MODERATE ACUTE MALNUTRITION) patients.
• 70.56 Metric ton required Super Cereal supplied and distributed to eligible PLWs (Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome).
• Supplying 11 Loudspeakers for 11 Mobile Health Team.
• Conducting one-day nutrition advocacy session with the leadership of Independent Nomad Directorate during breastfeeding week.
• Working one-day nutrition advocacy session with the administration of Nomad Independent Provincial Directorate in 15 provinces during breastfeeding week conducted.
• Celebrating Breastfeeding week in 15 provinces and at the central level for improving public awareness.
• Supplying 26 children’s height measuring boards for 26 nomad health clinics.
Cataract Project.
Sustainable growth requires a healthy life and the promotion of well-being. But half of the world’s population still lacks access to essential health services. Reference to the WHO reports; “In Afghanistan, it is estimated that over 400,000 people are blind and about 1.5 million are visually impaired (WHO estimation). However, if proper eye care facilities were established and maintained, about 80% of blindness is avoidable. Every year, around 25,000 Afghans lose their vision in one eye, which mostly affects females. Cataract remains the main cause of blindness at 60%. At present, Afghanistan has a huge bottleneck of over 200,000 cases of cataracts, mainly in rural areas. Only 15,000 cataract surgeries are performed annually; this is much below the disease’s incidence rate. In addition, injuries are also one of the common causes of blindness in Afghanistan. Humanitarian Assistance Society with the help of its generous donors and local hospitals have performed 2110 operation in Kabul, Balkh, Sheberghan, Ghazni, and Kapisa provinces.
Emergency Health camp
Over 3.5 million IDPs have sought refuge in Kabul to escape the fighting destroying their communities for the past few months. Living conditions are challenging. The supply of tented accommodation struggles to meet demand; running water and electricity are intermittent, and extreme weather exacerbates existing problems. Summers are scorching. The majority of illnesses amongst patients in the camps –gastrointestinal infections, urinary tract infections, skin infections, and respiratory conditions – result from limited hygiene and sanitary infrastructure. Chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) also present significant challenges. We have, therefore, opened 3 Healthcare Clinics in the camps of Saraishamali (one for Kunduz IDPs), Kotal (one for Takhar and Kunduz IDPs), Dasht Padola (one for Baghlan and Balkh IDPs). In these clinics, we provide essential healthcare services.