MSF contractors hold protest rally, call for help to evacuate

A number of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – also known as Doctors Without Borders – doctors and health workers contracted by the organization on Monday held a rally in front of the MSF offices in Kabul calling for help to be evacuated.

The doctors and health care workers say they have worked in the health sector for several years in cooperation with foreign institutions and now want to leave the country.

They called on the international community, especially those in charge of MSF, to provide them with asylum and to not forget about them.

“We have worked with foreigners for many years and carried out health projects and cared for the sick and wounded, while we are in a state of despair. We call on MSF officials and the international community to take action to evacuate us from Afghanistan,” said Mirwais Haidari, a doctor.

“After the developments that have taken place, our work projects have stopped and we are in uncertainty and we want the doctors and health workers who have worked with foreigners to be transferred from Afghanistan, and we want asylum,” said Mohammad Zahir Tahir, another doctor.

Meanwhile, these doctors and health workers emphasize that MSF should not ignore the work they have done in Afghanistan and that serious steps should be taken to address their demands.

“We have provided a lot of services to foreigners in the field of health services, and today is the day to hear our voice and our request to be accepted to move us from Afghanistan,” said Zahra Ghulami, a nurse.

“We have worked with foreigners in the health sector and now we are in a state of disarray and our projects have stopped and our services should not be ignored and we call on the world to take action to transfer us from Afghanistan,” said Zarifa Karimi, another nurse.