New hospitals and medical schools opened

A 500-bed civilian hospital with state-of-art medical technology was opened in Mazar-e-Sharif on May 12th in a ceremony attended by Hon. Governor Attah Mohammad Noor, H.E. Public Health Minister Suraya Dalil, Director of Public Health in Mazar-e-Sharif Mirwais Rabbi, and H.E. Ambassador Rüdiger Königof Germany. The foundation stone had been laid in 2009 by then Minister of Public Health and current Ambassador to Japan Dr. Sayed M. Amin Fatimie. Staff of the hospital are being trained to bring the hospital to the highest of international standards. The hospital will also serve as a center for national medical research. It should also be noted that the facility is electrically self-sufficient, being equipped with solar panels. In total, the project, which was built with the support of Japan, Germany, and Sweden, was completed for US$25 million. The new hospital joins Balkh provinces already comprehensive health care resource network, which includes another five district hospitals, 48 comprehensive and basic health facilities, 33 sub centers, and one thousand health posts and mobile teams.

On May 17, construction work began on a new 80-bed hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis, malaria, and other ailments in Kabul with the assistance of the Japanese government. Japanese Ambassador H.E. Mr. Reiichiro Takahashi attended an opening ceremony. In order to stop tuberculosis, there are now 2,000 centers across the country for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

A 56 year old public hospital in Nimroz province has received an upgrade, including the addition of a new 75-bed building. The hospital will now have eight doctors, twice the number before, and will be able to accommodate up to 200 patients, 20 deliveries, and three operations daily.

Kandahar Health Science Institute was inaugurated on May 9th with the assistance of the United States. The two-storey facility is capable of educating up to 300 students at any time. A solar-powered student dormitory was also built for the school. One of the main foci of the center will be to train nursing and midwifery students.

Earlier this month, a new 8-classroom building was opened for the teacher training center in the Esa Khan area of Bamiyan with the assistance of the World Bank. The school’s 900 students (60% of which are female) had been previously studying in rental houses. The school is set to expand with the addition of two more buildings next year.