Afghanistan: Shipment of around 7 MT of life-saving medicines from WHO arrives in Kabul

The World Health Organisation (WHO) delivered around seven metric tonnes of life-saving medicines and supplies in Afghanistan with support from Qatar. A plane carrying around seven metric tonnes of life-saving medicines and supplies arrived in Kabul on November 4, the WHO said in the news release. The shipment was delivered by WHO in collaboration with the operations and logistic teams of Qatar Airways and the Government of Qatar. 

In the news release, the World Health Organisation mentioned that this is the fourth flight carrying WHO supplies to land in Afghanistan from Doha since August 30, 2021. The four flights from Qatar to Afghanistan have delivered a total of 60 metric tonnes of supplies from the WHO. The medical supplies include medicines for the treatment of 5,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, diarrhoea, pneumonia, upper respiratory infections and other conditions. 

Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean said that health needs in Afghanistan are greater than ever before. Mandhari further stated that they are quickly addressing shortages in medical supplies to keep life-saving health services running. Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari expressed gratitude to the Government of Qatar for their support in ensuring that they have access to life-saving medicines. 

"Health needs in Afghanistan are greater than ever before, and we are moving quickly to address shortages in medical supplies to keep life-saving health services running. Children are the tragic victims of the country’s failing health system," Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari said in the news release.

Dr Mutlaq AlQahtani, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Counter-terrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution, urged the world community to continue providing aid to Afghanistan. AlQahtani highlighted the need of providing aid to Afghanistan amid the spread of new COVID-19 variants and the approaching winter season. Dr Mutlaq AlQahtani underlined that Qatar continues to support the war-torn nation in facilitating the airlifting of supplies. 

"The State of Qatar commends WHO for sending urgent life-saving aid to Afghanistan in these difficult times. As Qatar continues to support Afghanistan through airlifting aid facilitating travel, it urges the international community to continue providing urgent aid to Afghanistan, especially with the spread of new COVID-19 variants and the winter season approaching," said  Dr Mutlaq AlQahtani in the news release.

Image: Twitter/@WHOAfghanistan