News - Surgery in Afghanistan
Source: British Red Cross Society - UK
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A British
Red Cross surgeon has spent seven months working in Afghanistan, where family violence and maternal mortality rates are among the worst in the world.Ken Barrand, from Hampshire,
worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which deals with civilian casualties in Afghanistan."Most of the casualties I saw were probably related to family violence," he
said. "There are a lot of weapons in the community and people would fight, for example, over land."Every day I would see two or three gunshot wounds, many of these were the result of a
family squabble. The hills are also full of mines so there are always lots of mine injuries."It is estimated there have been more than 100,000 landmine victims in Afghanistan over the past 25
years.The ICRC supports the regional referral hospital in Jalalabad, which
caters for the entire population in the east of the country. It contains an orthopaedic workshop and has a large surgical unit with more than 70 surgeons. The ICRC trains these surgeons in how to deal with war wounds.Improving surgery"We were trying to raise the level of surgical procedure for the area," said Ken, who has 30 years of experience working with non-governmental organisations in overseas surgery. "It is very rewarding to help improve technical surgery and there was a very good team spirit at the hospital."Most of the doctors are male. When a woman gets sick often they will not go to hospital.Ken Barrand, ICRC surgeonKen highlighted the fact that while there are more than enough surgeons in the large towns, there is an inadequate supply in rural areas, which are most in need."The problem is most doctors won't go to the rural areas because of the perceived dangers," he said.Another major issue is the scarcity of female doctors, which is an acute problem in a country whose culture insists that a male doctor should not examine women."Most of the doctors are male," Ken explained. "When a woman gets sick often they will not go to hospital. There is a female ward and three female doctors at the hospital in Jalalabad but they only work mornings.
"It's not a coincidence that maternal mortality in Afghanistan is among the highest in the world."
caters for the entire population in the east of the country. It contains an orthopaedic workshop and has a large surgical unit with more than 70 surgeons. The ICRC trains these surgeons in how to deal with war wounds.Improving surgery"We were trying to raise the level of surgical procedure for the area," said Ken, who has 30 years of experience working with non-governmental organisations in overseas surgery. "It is very rewarding to help improve technical surgery and there was a very good team spirit at the hospital."Most of the doctors are male. When a woman gets sick often they will not go to hospital.Ken Barrand, ICRC surgeonKen highlighted the fact that while there are more than enough surgeons in the large towns, there is an inadequate supply in rural areas, which are most in need."The problem is most doctors won't go to the rural areas because of the perceived dangers," he said.Another major issue is the scarcity of female doctors, which is an acute problem in a country whose culture insists that a male doctor should not examine women."Most of the doctors are male," Ken explained. "When a woman gets sick often they will not go to hospital. There is a female ward and three female doctors at the hospital in Jalalabad but they only work mornings.
"It's not a coincidence that maternal mortality in Afghanistan is among the highest in the world."
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