WHO’s shipment of medical supplies arrives in Afghanistan for the first time since Taliban takeover

Geneva [Switzerland], August 31 (ANI): The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday said that a plane carrying health supplies and medicines arrived at Mazar-i-Sharif airport in Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban takeover.

“This is the first shipment of medical supplies to land in the country since it came under Taliban control,” CNN reported citing the WHO statement.

According to WHO, supplies include trauma kits and emergency health kits.

“The supplies arrived on Monday at 12:25 pm (local time) at Mazar-i-Sharif airport. Supplies included trauma kits and emergency health kits. They are enough to cover the needs of more than 200,000 people as well as 3,500 surgical procedures, and can treat 6,500 trauma patients. They are set to be delivered immediately to 40 health facilities in 29 provinces across the country,” read the WHO statement.

“After days of non-stop work to find a solution, I am very pleased to say that we have now been able to partially replenish stocks of health facilities in Afghanistan and ensure that — for now – WHO-supported health services can continue,” CNN quoted Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, as saying.

Afghanistan is facing its worst-ever crisis in decades after the Taliban took control of the country. As the situation is deteriorating rapidly, humanitarian needs have surged in the country.

The UN earlier said that nearly 18 million people require global support and they include an estimated 3.5 million internally displaced people, among them more than half a million newly displaced this year, Voice of America (VOA) reported. (ANI)