KEY UPDATES:
Civilian casualties and major attacks are increasing in many parts of Afghanistan; a devastating attack on the Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital in central Kabul on 8 March claimed dozens of lives
Three more health facilities were forced to close in the southern region due to conflict in March; around 1700 families were displaced
Flash floods in Herat province killed four people and affected 352 families. Further 795 families were internally displaced in western provinces due to conflict
The number of returnees and refugees from Pakistan and Iran reached 56 000 by the end on February 2017: 80% of them were undocumented returnees from Iran
More than 115 disease outbreaks were reported in the first quarter of 2017, of which 63% were measles and 10% Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)
PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
WHO-supported Kunduz Regional Hospital Trauma Care Unit (TCU) provided trauma care services for 627 trauma cases, including 497 outpatients and 151 admissions, and conducted 84 major and 67 minor surgeries in March 2017
WHO supplied medical and non-medical equipment to Kunduz TCU, including orthopaedic, laparotomy and neurosurgery sets, Dynacast plaster for orthopaedic case management, along with air conditioners and water coolers
Flood contingency supplies were prepositioned to WHO regional hubs and provincial health directorates, consisting of 46 Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHK), 34 pneumonia kits and 170 000 oral rehydration salt packs with 10 200 units of Ringer’s lactate solution and 10 000 units of saline solution to support health service provision for more than 100 000 people affected by ARI and diarrhoeal diseases all over the country
WHO conducted a public awareness campaign in Nangarhar province targeting returnees and host communities on the prevention of measles, tuberculosis (TB) acute respiratory infections (ARI) and diarrhoeal diseases through community outreach sessions, radio and TV spots, posters, billboards and leaflets and trainings on infection prevention in health facilities
WHO provided medical supplies to cover the overload of respiratory and diarrhoeal disease cases in Nangarhar and Nuristan provinces
60 community health workers from Kandahar province were trained on first aid by the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in collaboration with the Public Health Directorate through financial support from WHO
Blood bank monitoring conducted in 23 health facilities in March 2017