The representation mission of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) in Afghanistan is working on a project to establish and operate a primary healthcare centre in District 3 of Kandahar Province.
At a total cost of $582,000 (around QR2.1mn), the project is aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality rates among the local population, particularly women and children, by allowing them greater access to high-quality health services, QRCS has said in a statement.
Other goals of the project are to improve the skills of medical and technical personnel, as well as creating obstetric emergency night shifts and a referral system.
To that end, QRCS and its Afghan counterpart have worked together on the project, which was initiated in 2018 and will last until July 2021.
Since the opening of the health centre, it has served 45,182 patients, including mainly under-5 children, mothers, pregnant women, and women in the childbearing age. Also, there are 620 indirect beneficiaries, including medical and non-medical staff, suppliers, drivers and other professionals engaged in the execution of the project, the statement notes.
First, the building was leased and renovated, and a workforce of 17 people were hired (physicians, nurses, midwives, vaccinators, lab technician, pharmacist, socio-psychological adviser, administrative officer, superviser, janitors and security).
Then, QRCS secured all the furnishing and equipment required for the centre. In relation to capacity-building, training courses were held on reporting, health management information systems, Expanded Programme on Immunisation, infection prevention and control, nutrition and other health and technical topics.
Throughout the operation period, all the required medications and medical consumables are given to the patients free of charge, based on the lists of needs and the Afghan Ministry of Health’s Basic Package of Health Services.
A wide range of health services is available at the health centre, such as maternal and child care (prenatal and postnatal services – vaccination for women and children), outpatient clinics (examinations – common diseases – malnutrition – psychological issues), basic lab diagnostic services, medications and
consumables, emergency night shifts (especially maternity) and referrals to hospitals for advanced healthcare.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, training and awareness sessions were held for all the staff on the risks of the virus, how it spreads and how to prevent it. The necessary protective supplies were secured, such as masks, hand sanitisers, soap, etc.
"This is a major humanitarian project, as it is the only healthcare centre in such an overpopulated area, mostly poor. Thanks to the good and diverse services, the centre is receiving more and more visitors, with a current average of 140 cases per day. It has become a first choice of trust, reflecting the reputation of QRCS’s humanitarian interventions among the target communities, government organisations and NGOs," the statement adds.
