Imagine that your 20 year-old-son is involved in a horrific accident. A heavy machine causes severe injuries causing paralysis. What would be the immediate response? One would hope that he would be admitted to a casualty department, taken to surgery and receive expert care. In Afghanistan such care is far from guaranteed, as a BMS nurse recently witnessed.
Mohammed had been working on a building site when a heavy door fell on him, injuring his spine and breaking his legs.
Unable to receive any long-term medical care he was taken in by his family. Winter swept in and the roads became blocked with snow.
"He was paralysed from the waist down and his arms and hands were so contracted he couldn't use them." The young man was yellow with pallor, terribly thin and had deep sores on both knees and hips. He barely had the energy to talk. It was quickly discovered that the young man was anaemic and required blood fast. Enough blood donors were found and blood was given.
"The hospital did not have the facilities to care for the young man long-term so the doctor referred him to a hospital in Kabul." The family paid for a row of seats in a vehicle to take him to the hospital.
Healthcare in Afghanistan:
In 2004, there was one medical facility for every 27,000 people. Twenty five per cent of the population had no access to healthcare. There were 18 nurses per 100,000 people.
Despite a major increase in health facilities (600 in 2004 to 1,440 now) great problems remain. Afghanistan has the third highest infant and child mortality rate in the world; out of 1,000 live births, 128 die before they are one year-old.
"We do not know what will happen to him, or if he will survive. At least he had good care for some time and I was able to tell the mother and him when they left that we were praying for him and they were grateful."
Prayer Points:
- Please pray that Mohammad receives the best possible healthcare in Kabul and is able to return to his family in a much better state of health.
- Pray that the number of medical facilities and qualified personnel may continue to grow in Afghanistan.