Hospital Treating Afghan War Wounded Sees Busy Days Ahead

July 24,2013

The conflict in Afghanistan has been intensifying, as international combat forces prepare to leave the country. Factions are fighting for influence and territory, and civilians are caught in the crossfire. An Italian non-profit hospital fights to heal the war’s victims even as international aid starts to decline.

Doctors were forced to amputate this toddler’s leg after a bullet shattered it beyond repair.

Medical Coordinator Luca Radaelli, with the Italian non-profit Emergency hospital, said the child was one of hundreds. He said as sides in the conflict fought for control, the number of war victims brought to the hospitals has hit a record high.

“We are expecting a constant increasing of admission in this period. We always had in the summer time an increasing compared to winter, but now we are quite worried because the situation is quite problematic. People are many, the victims are many, much more than before, and to manage a hospital with 100 beds available with this rate of admission it becomes very difficult,” said Radaelli.

This 97-bed Kabul surgical center is one of three hospitals and 40 first aid posts run by Emergency in Afghanistan.

As foreign troops prepare to leave, funding for humanitarian groups like Emergency is waning.

U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan spokeswoman Nilab Mobarez said the country is in desperate need of continued help.