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Afghanistan: ICRC activities January to June 2006

30-06-2006 Operational Update

Afghanistan is one of the ICRC's biggest operations. Activities include visiting those deprived of their freedom; health, medical and rehabilitation services; assistance projects and the promotion of international humanitarian law. An overview of activities from January to June 2006.

 

Protection 
 

 Detention visits  

In line with its mandate, the ICRC regularly visits detainees held in connection with conflict by the Afghan authorities and US forces to assess whether they are being detained in accordance with international norms and standards.

The ICRC also facilitates contact between detainees and their families through the exchange of Red Cross messages.

Between January and June 2006, the ICRC:

  • carried out 109 visits to 55 places of detention holding a total of 7,135 detainees

  • followed up 1,550 individuals arrested in relation with the conflict, of whom 668 were visited for the first time

  • provided assistance for 119 detainees to return home

 Restoring family links  

    

Working closely with the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), the ICRC continued to exchange Red Cross messages and helped families trace lost relatives.

Between January and June 2006, the ICRC and the ARCS

  • collected and distributed almost 10,800 Red Cross messages

  • traced 47 people registered as missing by family members

  • received 84 new tracing reque sts

  • trained 21 new tracing field officers in regional seminars

 
Assistance 
 

 Health Care  

    

The ICRC assists the authorities concerned to provide effective surgical and parallel support services such as blood banks and laboratories to hospitals in Jalalabad, Kandahar and Jowzjan. Capacities to respond to emergency incidents are maintained across the country. 

    

Between January and June 2006, health facilities assisted by the ICRC

  • provided services to 17,000 in-patients and almost 60,000 out-patients

  • performed more than 9,000 operations

 Rehabilitation for the disabled  

Since 1988 the ICRC has been involved in orthopaedic and rehabilitation services to disabled people in Afghanistan, including those injured in mine accidents. Patients are also offered assistance for their social reintegration once their physical rehabilitation is complete. In eighteen years, around 73,000 patients have been registered and treated.

Currently, the ICRC runs six orthopaedic centres in Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif, Herat, Gulbahar, Faizabad and Jalalabad. In each location, home care services are provided for spinal cord injury patients offering paraplegics and their families medical, economic and social support.

Between January and June 2006, the six centres

  • registered around 2,400 new patients

  • produced over 7,000 prostheses and orthoses 

  • granted loans to 374 patients to start their own businesses and provided job training to around 180 people

  • assisted more than 2,100 patients with spinal cord injuries

    

 Mine Action  

    

The ICRC aims to prevent new injuries and fatalities caused by mines and other explosive remnants of war by gathering information on their location and telling demining agencies. Together with the ARCS, the ICRC also promotes safe behaviour through mine risk education sessions with communities at risk.

Between January and June 2006, mine action teams

  • held about 7,000 mine risk education sessions in over 1,500 locations for around 93,000 adults and more than100,000 children

  • interviewed more than 370 new victims of mines and unexploded ordnance

 Water and habitat  

    

One of the ICRC's core tasks is to maintain access to drinking water for populations affected by conflict. The disruption and destruction to infrastructure and distribution systems can have disastrous health consequences. In Afghanistan, the ICRC's work includes re-establishing urban and rural water networks, sanitation projects and rehabilitation work in hospitals. Hygiene promotion and environmental health training are part of this programme. 

Between January and June 2006, the water and habitat team

  • drilled 42 boreholes and fitted hand pumps in Kab ul;

  • completed a water quality laboratory and trained the staff. Handed over four water projects for 31,000 persons. Continued works on one water supply projects in Kabul for 5,000 beneficiaries; started two sanitation projects (latrines, drainage and waste disposal) for 17,000 persons; 

  • worked on one water supply project in Herat for over 70,000 beneficiaries;

  • worked on one water supply projects in Jalalabad for 10,000 beneficiaries;

  • completed the construction of 400 m3 reservoir for 45,000 beneficiaries and continued works for one water supply project in Kandahar for 5,000 beneficiaries;

  • continued to work on two water supply projects in Mazar-e-Sharif for 29,000 beneficiaries;

  • supported the maintenance team in two hospitals; continued major renovation works in surgical wards in Jalababad;

  • visited 4,500 households providing education and practical advices on hygiene

  • vonducted around 580 hygiene promotion sessions in public places (mosques, schools and community forum);

  • improved the living conditions (water and sanitation) in 10 places of detention for 1850 detainees

    

 
Promotion of international humanitarian law 
 

Between January and June 2006, dissemination teams conducted

  • 87 dissemination sessions, 12 briefings, one round table and two workshops for 2,500 members of police officers, the military and civil society

    

 
Cooperation with the Afghan Red Crescent  
 

The ICRC assists the ARCS technically and financially to build its capacities to deliver various programmes and services to the community.

Between January and June 2006, the ICRC cooperation team

  • supported more than 1,780 trainees and their trainers in the vocational training programme

  • completed 29 food for work projects that benefited around 4,400 families

  • supported 6 dissemination sessions for 80 ARCS dissemination staff

  • supported 5,500 dissemination sessions for almost 80,000 people coming to ARCS health clinics




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