KABUL - National and international institutes offering healthcare services on Wednesday said insecurity and using health facilities as bastions by militant groups were major challenges hindering their activities.
Four national and international healthcare institutes including Kabul Orthopedic Organization (KOO), Afghan Health and Development Services, International Rescue Corps and Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) presented reports about their activities in the last two years in a meeting here.
Ahmad Tamim Sabari, deputy head of Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), said insecurity, restrictions and impassable routes in many areas of the country deprived people of access to health services.
But he said health services had increased since 2001 as a result of efforts by the government and international development organizations and non-government organizations.
“Despite current challenges, we are ready to revive health services in cooperation with government as people’s access to health services is the goal of NGOs,” he said.
He said currently 43 non-profit organizations were offering health services to people in the framework of ACBAR.
Dr. Sayed Mohsin Hashemi, deputy SCA head, also said insecurity, using medical centers as trenches and using health facilities as a pressure tool by rebel groups were major challenges for health services in the country.
He said lack of female personnel was another challenge in the health area.
Maki Seyawosh, head of Kabul Orthopedic Organization, said her organization was working for rehabilitation of people with disabilities and making artificial organs for them.
She said they had treated 2,900 children with 70 percent of them recovering over the past two years.
The lack of an accurate statistics about the number of people with disabilities prevented health services from reaching people as required, she said. (Pajhwok)