Turkish aid agency provides health services to over 12M people in Afghanistan

By Behlul Cetinkaya

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s state-run aid agency provided more than 12 million people with healthcare services in Afghanistan since 2005.

As part of an agreement between the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and the Afghan Health Ministry, TIKA provided health services to people through health institutions in northern Afghanistan, according to information obtained by Anadolu Agency from the aid agency.

The Afghan-Turkish Friendship Hospital in the Maymana district of the Faryab province and Afghan-Turkish Friendship Children's Hospital in the Sheberghan district of Jowzjan province played an important role in providing these services to over 12 million people.

From 2005 to 2019, a total of 221 people, including 51 doctors, 57 nurses, and 95 other health personnel were employed at the Afghan-Turkish Friendship Hospital which has a capacity of 170 beds.

More than 4.5 million received treatment from the hospital until 2019 when it was transferred to governmental institutions of the country.

In 2010, Maymana Midwife Training School was also established by TIKA. The school, in which 94 midwives are trained, includes emergency service, polyclinic, general surgery, pediatrics, and vaccination center.

As of the end of 2021, the Afghan-Turkish Friendship Children's Hospital, which has a 110-bed capacity, provides health services with 139 people, including 24 doctors, seven of which are specialists, 40 nurses, and 75 other health personnel.

Nearly 3 million patients have been treated in the hospital so far.

TIKA also carried out activities in the country to build clinics that provide basic and comprehensive health services, and to procure medical supplies and furniture.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar