Estonia Helps Women in Afghanistan Start First Aid Training
05.09.2009
In co-operation with MTÜ Mondo, the Foreign Ministry is helping to
launch first aid training for adults in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia’s support for Helmand
Province’s Bost Hospital in the past has significantly improved the
treatment possibilities there. The next step is to turn attention to
the capability of local residents to care for their own health and the
health of their families. “Many health problems that are widespread in
developing nations can be lessened or prevented entirely by basic
practices that are commonplace for us, like washing hands and cleaning
wounds,” said Paet. “Establishing a first aid training network aimed
primarily towards women will help to increase the health-related
knowledge of the population and also include women more in community
life,” he added.
First aid training in health care facilities and women’s education
centres will create a network in which local women can pass the
knowledge they acquire onto others. Those who complete the training
will receive a first aid kit intended for home use as well as a first
aid manual in Pashto. The Estonian health care expert in Helmand Anu
Raisma will help to find female doctors and people from local women’s
organisations to implement the project, organise training for the
instructors and start up the courses. The fact that the current
Estonian health care expert is female will facilitate communication
with local women’s associations and female doctors.
Anu Raisma stated that there is still a lot to do for developing the
health care sector in Helmand Province, since despite initial progress
the mortality rate for women and children is still tragically high. “In
a situation where it’s difficult to get medical attention, knowledge of
first aid and practical skills are extremely important. This will also
offer residents of the province the chance to improve living conditions
and spread the knowledge of first aid to communities where access to
medical care is practically non-existent,” stated Raisma.
The cost of the two-year training project is 2 246 580 kroons.
Afghanistan is one of Estonia’s priority partner countries for
development co-operation and developing the health care sector is
central to our activities. An Estonian health care expert has been
working in the city of Lashkar Gah´ in Helmand province since March
2008, carrying out Estonian development co-operation projects on site
and consulting for the leadership of the UK Provincial Reconstruction
Team and the Helmand provincial government on the development of the
health care system.
Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries on earth. A large part of
the country’s population lives in extreme poverty, especially women and
children. Close to 70% of the people are illiterate and 46% of Afghan
children lack access to education.
