The regional director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Eastern Mediterranean, Ahmed Al Mandhari, indicated that thanks to those supplies – which arrived in Afghanistan from Pakistan – the WHO medical services can continue to function.

The international aid arrived via the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, in the north of the country, on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight with 12.5 tons of health products, which will cover the basic needs of 200,000 people and help to carry out 3,500 surgical operations.

Mandhari also explained that the cargo will enable 6,500 trauma patients to be treated in 40 medical centers in 29 Afghan provinces.

WHO reported that this is the first of three flights planned for the coming days with PIA, and advanced the organization is working with its partners to ensure that this week’s shipment is the first of many.

A reliable airlift is urgently needed to increase humanitarian efforts. The world cannot turn its attention away from the Afghan people at this critical time, Mandhari noted.

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