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The
Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital in Kabul is Afghanistan's
leading paediatric facility, staffed by a medical team
of dedicated and highly qualified child specialists,
as well as being a medical training institute. However,
like so much else in the country, the hospital suffered
terrible neglect during the many years of turmoil and
conflict. The most basic medicines and equipment were
lacking, and over 240 children were being treated in
only 150 beds. At least one child patient was even having
to sleep on a window sill. Most of the staff had not
been paid for a long time, but continued working regardless,
to do what they could for the children.
The
hospital's plight was quickly identified by soldiers
from the British 3rd Divisional Signal Regiment, shortly
after they arrived in Kabul to form the core of the
International Security Assistance Force's headquarters.
The soldiers immediately organised a project to provide
as much assistance as possible. The UK's Department
for International Development agreed to fund some $11,000
worth of desperately needed new bedding as a priority
- this is being manufactured by local Afghan craftsmen.
Charity events organised amongst ISAF personnel raised
sufficient cash to fund almost 100 operations. And back
in the UK, at the Regiment's home base of Bulford on
Salisbury Plain, an appeal was launched in the local
community with the help of Spire FM, BBC Wiltshire Sound,
and the Salisbury Journal, to collect children's clothing
and toys. The appeal met with an overwhelming response,
and the first sacks arrived in Kabul at the end of February.
Troops from 3rd Divisional Signal Regiment took the
toys and clothes to the hospital for distribution, to
the delight of the young patients.
A
fortnight later, the first batch of the essential new
bed frames and bedding funded by DfID were ready for
delivery. British military vehicles collected the goods
from Afghan suppliers, and, piled high, arrived at the
hospital, where there was no shortage of willing volunteers
to help unload the lorries. The Hospital President,
Dr Mustapha Ezmarai, was quite overwhelmed by the occasion,
and expressed the gratitude of the entire staff. At
the same time, a second consignment of toys from Salisbury
arrived, and one of the children's wards, where the
boxes were being unpacked, filled to overflowing as
eager children crowded in to see what had been delivered.
Major Widdows, who has played a leading role in organising
the entire effort, commented on how surprised even he
was at the rapid progress that had proved possible in
just a couple of weeks, with more assistance already
in the pipeline.
Another
small, but very important area where ISAF has been able
to help was the visit by some British and Italian Nuclear,
Biological & Chemical experts. Normally employed
assisting the Explosives Ordnance Disposal teams in
checking munitions found during clearance work, they
brought their radiological expertise to bear in carrying
out safety checks on the elderly X-Ray machine at the
hospital, to confirm that it is still safe to use.
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