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Inauguration of Imam Sahib District hospital
January 25, 2007
The new Imam Sahib hospital will improve the access to health for 185,000 inhabitants of the District. Especially women in need of emergency obstetric interventions will be now treated locally, saving travelling time and lives. The project has been funded by the European Commission and implemented by the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan as part of the delivery of the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) in Kunduz province.
The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) has established this 50 bed hospital In order to increase the access of the population to life saving services and in conformity to the BPHS structure and guidelines.
Over 40 well trained professionals equipped with modern diagnostic and curative equipment and instruments are ready to start the outpatient and the inpatient services of Imam Sahib Hospital. The two-story building of the hospital is designed to accommodate the technical requirements while considering the conveniences of the attendants and adding to the aesthetic views of the area. It has sufficient space, rooms and facilities to fully house the various services to be delivered by the hospital.
With two operation rooms, diagnostic facilities that include X-ray and laboratories, blood bank facility, the hospital represents an added value to the health system in the district. According to Dr Shams, the former Health Manager of Kunduz BPHS project and the current Advisor in Health Technical Support Unit, Imam Sahib Hospital proves SCA commitment towards the people of Afghanistan and its endeavour to provide the best possible quality health care for the beneficiaries of its BPHS projects.
In the last few years, the district has witnessed substantial improvements in the health service delivery. Through the BPHS project, SCA has established 10 health facilities that address the basic health needs of the district’s population. Nonetheless, emergency cases, including women in need of surgical obstetric interventions, are usually referred to Kunduz hospital, located a few hours away from Imam Sahib District.
BPHS in Kunduz Province
Kunduz BPHS project is the largest health project within SCA at the moment and it covers about one million people living in the seven districts of the province. Imam Sahib District is one of the biggest districts in Kunduz Province with a population of more than 185,000 and an ethnic mixture of Uzbek, Pushtoon, Turkmans and Hazaras.
Background
SCA is an international non-governmental organisation that contributes to the development of the health sector and implements promotive, preventive and curative health care services to over 2 million people in Afghanistan. SCA is implementing four Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) projects in the provinces of Kunduz, Wardak, Nuristan and Paktika.
The European Commission has been fully involved with the reconstruction of Afghanistan since 2001. The proposed programme is part of the €200 million Commission funding for 2006 that completes the € 1 billion aid committed for Afghanistan in Berlin and Tokyo donor conferences for the period 2002-06. Further programmes support de-mining, public health, rural development and border management including customs services. The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union (EU). The EU (European Community and 27 member states) has disbursed collectively € 3,7 billion in aid to Afghanistan over five years (2002-2006), more than one third of the aid pledged by the international community. At the London Conference in spring 2006, the EU pledged a further USD 2,4 billion (about 2 billion euros) for reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan over the coming years.
For further information:
Dr. Esmat Shinwari
Health Manager BPHS Kunduz
dresmat@sca.org.af
Dr Ibne Amin
Health Coordinator
ibne.amin@sca.org.af