Afghanistan: Aide Médicale Internationale is relocating its expatriate teams while maintaining its programs

Afghanistan: Aide Médicale Internationale is relocating its expatriate teams while maintaining its programs

Aide Médicale Internationale is committed to ensuring wide-ranging health care programs in Afghanistan, where it has conducted operations since 1980. AMI is temporarily relocating its expatriate teams while maintaining its programs in Afghanistan.

AMI teams are currently conducting wide-ranging health care programs in close collaboration with the Afghan health authorities, in response to the requirements of the Afghan people. This includes:
 restructuring the health care system in the three provinces of Laghman, Kunar and Samangan, within the framework of a primary health care program (Basic Package of Health Services – BPHS) in effect since 2003
 support to the pharmacies and laboratories of Maïwand and Ali Abad University Hospitals in Kabul
 publication and distribution of Salamati Magazine, with a circulation of 26,000 (a health care training magazine designed for community health care workers).

The implementation of the above programs has been accomplished thanks to the involvement of the Afghan personnel of Aide Médicale Internationale. More than 1,500 Afghan health care professionals, health care workers, administrative personnel, etc., as well as a number of management personnel, have ensured these operations.

The constant deterioration of security conditions (as of September 2008, expatriate teams have been regrouped in Kabul) has required new strategies in the organization of operations, based on the increased involvement of Afghan personnel. New long-distance work procedures have been established in order to ensure the follow-up of operations conducted in very remote areas.

Today, recent events in Kabul have led Aide Médicale Internationale to relocate its expatriate teams to a neighboring country. This decision was made with a view to avoiding overexposing our expatriate teams, and does not in any way hinder AMI operations. The wide-ranging needs of the Afghan people require the continuation of AMI health care programs, and recently implemented methods of operation enable our expatriate teams to maintain contact with Afghan teams from their new location. These teams will continue to operate in three sectors: Basic Package of Health Services; support to pharmacies and laboratories; and publication and distribution of the Salamati Magazine. AMI’s new operating procedures will enable local teams to maintain quality programs in response to the requirements of our beneficiaries.

Aide Médicale Internationale would like to reiterate its respect and consideration for the Afghan people, whose needs, especially in the area of health care, require the continued involvement of the international community and the maintenance of its solidarity-based programs. AMI hopes for a rapid return to more peaceful conditions of security, which will enable its expatriate teams to return to Afghan territory as soon as possible.

Dr Philippe Augoyard, Aide Médicale International President