Afghanistan

Emergency aid and development projects

Nine-month-old Umid was saved from death

Not only is Afghanistan one of the poorest countries in the world. The health situation in Afghanistan is also among the worst, so Sara* and her husband Farshad* were devastated when their nine-month-old son became seriously ill. They couldn't afford to go to the doctor.

By Samuel

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Image: Women washing clothes by a stream. It's been centuries since life in Denmark was lived like in Afghanistan.

The Danish European Mission is currently starting a new project in Afghanistan, where we will support a clinic that provides medical care to poor people who otherwise have nowhere to go when illness strikes.

The local healthcare system is inadequate and we need to step in and help people in need. This provides many people with urgently needed medical examinations and medication that they would otherwise not be able to afford. In addition, hygiene training, especially for women, to prevent certain diseases - especially among children.

Image: After the end of the Taliban regime in 2001, the burqa was abolished. Despite this, many women still don't leave their homes without a burqa for reasons of personal safety and reputation.

Didn't have money to go to the doctor

Sara* and Farshad* have already received help from the Danish European Mission's partner in Afghanistan. Sara* says: "I have four children - a son and three daughters. We live in B* district near K*. My husband works as a day laborer in the market and our financial situation is difficult. Sometimes my husband has work, sometimes not.

One day, my nine-month-old son Umid* fell ill. He had a fever and was coughing. Due to our tight finances, we didn't have the money to take him to the doctor. We just bought some medicine from the pharmacy. I gave him this medicine for two days, but he got worse and his lips became greenish and dry. His breathing became labored and he had a high fever.

I thought my baby is dying. I said to my husband: 'Umid* is seriously ill! Let's go to the doctor!' My husband's eyes filled with tears and he said, 'I can see that Umid* is sick, but I have no money...' I cried a lot and our neighbor heard my crying and came and asked what happened. Crying, I told her: 'My child is seriously ill and dying, but we don't have money to go to the doctor and get him treated!

She said, 'God is great... In K* there is a clinic called D*. Let's go there.' She also gave me some money and we took Umid* there. When the doctor saw him, he quickly started giving him oxygen and some injections.

Until noon, Umid was on oxygen therapy. The color of his lips became normal and the fever left him. Then the doctor gave us medicine for three days and said: 'Come back after three days.' We went for a check-up - he is fine now, but still has some cough. I know that because of the medicine, the cough will also go away.

This clinic saved my son's life. Thank you to all the staff of the clinic and everyone who supports the work. I believe that because of the medicine and the help of the doctors, God has provided a special healing, as many poor people come here and are healed."

This project spreads hope in one of the world's poorest countries. People have to fight for medical care - something we take for granted.

It costs an average of $540 to provide medicine and medical care to 15 people. Would you like to support our commitment in Afghanistan? You can do so with your gift.
*For security reasons, we have to use aliases.

Support Afghanistan: Medical care for the poor

Fact: Despite some progress in recent years, the infant mortality rate in 2013 was 70 per 1000 births, while in Denmark it was 3 per 1000 births. Maternal mortality in 2013 was 400 per 1,000 births, while in Denmark it was 5 per 1,000 births.