Health, community projects aid rural Afghanistan
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A nurse watches over patients at an eye hospital in
Kabul, Afghanistan, where the United Methodist Board of Global
Ministries supports a comprehensive eye program. UMNS photos by David
Wildman.
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By Linda Bloom*
June 8, 2007 | NEW YORK (UMNS)
Bringing stability to Afghanistan will require attention to the needs
of its rural population, according to a United Methodist who recently
visited the Asian country.
"Probably 80 percent of the population is in rural areas," said David
Wildman, an executive with the United Methodist Board of Global
Ministries. In a place where "daily living is quite hard," the people of
Afghanistan struggle with extreme poverty, a low life expectancy and
high maternal and infant mortality rates.
For the past 40 years, the Board of Global Ministries has partnered
in Afghanistan on projects aimed at providing physical and mental health
care, improving sources of energy, water and sanitation, and fostering
community development and self-sufficiency. "In a small way, we've tried
to model an ongoing commitment," he said.
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Patients recuperate in a hospital in Kabul.
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The projects receive financial assistance through the Advance for Christ
and His Church, the voluntary giving program of The United Methodist
Church.
During a two-week visit to Afghanistan in May, Wildman said he heard
"over and over again" that while the actions of the Taliban are a major
concern, the country's main problems are the drug trade and political
corruption.
The opium trade accounts for half the economy and opium addiction is a
community issue. "Opium is a crop that is far more drought resistant,"
he added. "It does well with not much rainfall."
But as he traveled around Kabul and into a remote valley east of the
capital city toward the Pakistan border, Wildman was impressed by the
ability of the Afghan people to overcome hardships. "They are incredibly
creative and resourceful in addressing their needs," he said.
Wildman also was struck by the "extraordinary hospitality" he
experienced. "The generosity of the community is really quite genuine,"
he said.
A vision of health
Comprehensive eye care is one of the major programs that the Board of
Global Ministries supports through partners in Afghanistan. In 2006,
several eye hospital clinics treated more than 270,000 patients and
performed more than 15,000 surgeries. In addition, pharmacies produced
nearly half a million eye drops and hospitals distributed 22,200 pairs
of glasses.
Preventative eye care remains a concern. An estimated one in 1,000 Afghans goes blind from cataracts each year.
"Probably
85 percent of mothers give birth with no trained medical attendant
present. So if there's any kind of medical emergency, the rates of
infant mortality and maternal mortality are incredibly high."
-David Wildman
Among the consequences of Afghanistan's years of war and occupation
are its high rates of maternal, infant and child deaths. Wildman visited
the CURE International Hospital in Kabul, which is addressing these
problems.
"Probably 85 percent of mothers give birth with no trained medical
attendant present," he explained. "So if there's any kind of medical
emergency, the rates of infant mortality and maternal mortality are
incredibly high."
According to CURE, 44 Afghan women die every day giving birth because
of a lack of access to services and to skilled delivery care. The
infant mortality rate is 165 per 1,000 live births and child mortality
before age 5 is 257 deaths per 1,000, compared with 7 per 1,000 and 8
per 1,000, respectively, in the United States.
CURE specialists and midwife trainers have created a curriculum for
maternal and infant health training programs by spending hundreds of
hours in 2005 developing and measuring competencies of staff midwives
and general medicine doctors. Those training programs are being
implemented across the country.
Besides the OB/GYN care, the hospital in Kabul provides general
health services, orthopedic rehabilitation of children with
disabilities, corrective plastic surgery for burn patients and treatment
of cleft palates and lips. "The medical staff speaks in English, so
they can bring in short-term (medical) volunteers," Wildman said.
Physical and economic needs
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An Afghan worker fashions a prosthetic leg at an orthopedic workshop in Maimana.
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Wildman also visited a physiotherapy institute in Kabul, which offers a
two-year training course and continuing education classes for
physiotherapists and teachers, and an orthopedic workshop and
physiotherapy center in the city of Maimana. That center is the only one
serving people with disabilities between Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat.
In 2006, 14 physiotherapists graduated from the course in Kabul and
940 patients were treated there. Another 1,350 patients were treated in
Maimana and many received technical appliances.
Providing electricity to rural communities is another way to meet
basic physical and economic needs. Wildman said he was impressed by the
system of micro-hydropower plants being established. These mini-plants
use existing irrigation ditches and a turbine to harness water,
providing electricity for 100 to 200 families. Teams of trained
mechanics work with local communities to set up the system and install
the turbines, which are built in a metal workshop in Kabul.
Other projects focus on mental health care, health and social
education, micro-enterprise development and English language training
for Afghan professionals and prospective university students.
For more information about projects in Afghanistan and how to contribute, contact Wildman at dwildman@gbgm-umc.org. Information also is available at
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/about/advance/, the Advance Web site.
*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.
News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
Audio
David Wildman: "Many of the stories here …"
David Wildman: "Communities, if they have money …"
David Wildman: "There are women who are learning …"
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