Disasters
WHO: Medical help needed after earthquake in Afghanistan
Injured people are treated in a tent after strong earthquakes in Herat province in western Afghanistan. photo
© Uncredited/MSF Afghanistan/AP/dpa
Following the series of earthquakes this month, many people in the region continue to rely on emergency medical assistance. It is said that more than 40 health facilities were destroyed.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) more than 114,000 people are in need of emergency medical assistance after the series of earthquakes this month. According to initial estimates, more than 40 health facilities in the region were destroyed by the quake, the WHO said in a report on Friday. As a result, access to medical care has significantly worsened for around 580,000 people.
Other health facilities remain at risk of collapse, making it more difficult to care for patients. “The health consequences are staggering,” says the WHO. The approaching winter also threatens to further aggravate the situation on site. In total, the WHO says it needs around 7.5 million euros to provide the affected people with the essentials.
According to local media reports, more than 2,000 people have died and thousands have been injured in several earthquakes in Afghanistan since the beginning of October. The United Nations says at least 1,400 people have died. Thousands of houses have been destroyed. Many people are camping out in the open for fear of further tremors.