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An Afghan doctor looks on as a casualty from the frontlines arrives in Kabul.
He is headed for Dawood National Military Hospital, the largest such facility in the
country, run entirely by the Afghan Ministry of Defence.
"This soldier has been brought from Ghazni Province. He has IED trauma and also a foreign
body in the brain." The hospital was mired in scandal a few years
ago, when it was revealed that systematic patient neglect and corruption was rife.
Since these issues were brought to light however, changes have taken place and staff insist
the facility is now up to standard. "Well the improvements started with the policy
from the Surgeon General to fight the corruption. He was able to reduce the corruption by 80
per cent. He also increased the discipline of his physician and all the medical professionals.
That led to improvements in all aspects of healthcare system, including good nutrition
and good calories to the patients, clean sheets, clean bed, clean floor."
"It has been almost two years since we started specialised healthcare programmes. We have
had lots of improvements, as you know. Training is not a matter of one, two, three months
or a year, it is an ongoing process. It takes time and that's why we need support. We need
to work as a team and keep the training ongoing." This facility will be a bastion for the Afghan
Army in this election year. General Wardak also believes the hospital has a wider role
to play. "If we provide better healthcare services
to the Afghan army it will have great results. If we can send a soldier who has been injured
back to his unit, healed and healthy, it also helps us increase the soldier's morale.
This increase in morale will help them fight the remaining terrorists in Afghanistan. With
a benefit for Afghanistan and the entire world. ."