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Record Number of Disabled Afghans Sought Assistance in 2018: ICRC
A record number of disabled Afghans – more than 12,000 people – sought assistance for the first time in 2018 at physical rehabilitation centres run by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) across Afghanistan.
“Alarmingly, despite the record level of assistance provided, many more people remain in need,” the ICRC said in a statement.
Last year was the ICRC’s 30th year of running rehabilitation programs in the country. More than 22,000 artificial limbs and other orthopaedic devices – also a record number — were provided in 2018, together with 2,000 wheelchairs, 18,000 crutches, and countless physiotherapy sessions.
“The record number of Afghans seeking rehabilitation assistance is a reflection of the huge levels of need,” said Alberto Cairo, ICRC’s physical rehabilitation program manager in Afghanistan. “Even with all of the people we helped, we aren’t coming close to being able to assist everyone in need.”
Due to decades of war, diseases and traffic incidents about five percent of Afghanistan’s population is physically disabled, according to the Ministry of Public Health.
“The issue of disability is worrying, though, we don’t have exact figures in this regard but we can presume that around three to five percent of the country’s population is disabled,” said Health Minister Feruzuddin Feruz.
The ICRC started assisting disabled people in Kabul in 1988 by providing them with limb-fitting services and physiotherapy sessions to help them regain their mobility.
Today the organization runs seven physical rehabilitation centres including in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, Jalalabad, Gulbarhar, Faizabad and Lashkar Gah.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has signed a 30-year agreement with a private company to extract marble in Daikundi province.
Under the contract, the company will invest AFN 283 million in exploring and mining marble at the “Mesh-Uliya” site, spanning 16.74 square kilometers in central Daikundi.
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, stated that the marble will be processed domestically before being exported abroad. He added that the Mesh-Uliya project is expected to create around 200 jobs, and the company is committed to supporting local communities through social initiatives.
Economic experts highlight that such investments, especially those focusing on domestic processing, are crucial for job creation, boosting exports, and strengthening the national economy. Analysts further note that the project will improve local infrastructure, expand social services, and enhance the economic and social well-being of Daikundi residents.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, efforts to develop Afghanistan’s mining sector have intensified, with multiple contracts signed in areas including cement, copper, iron, and lapis lazuli, involving both domestic and international companies.
A passenger bus veered off the Salang Highway before dawn on Sunday, leaving five people dead and 44 others injured, the Ministry of Public Works said.
According to the ministry, the incident occurred at around 2:00 a.m. in the Shawol area of North Salang when a passenger bus deviated from the main road due to the driver’s negligence.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said five passengers were killed and 44 others sustained injuries. He added that personnel from the Salang Maintenance and Protection Directorate promptly arrived at the scene and transferred the injured to the Khunjān clinic for medical treatment.
The Ministry of Public Works has urged drivers and passengers traveling on the Salang Highway to strictly follow the instructions of on-duty teams, observe traffic regulations, and carry warm clothing, food supplies, and snow chains to prevent similar incidents.
The ministry also noted that heavy snowfall and stormy weather have led to the temporary closure of the highway, while road maintenance teams are continuing snow-clearing operations.
Latest News
Major fire in Mandawi Kabul market contained, extensive losses prevented
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
The Ministry of Interior reported that personnel from the General Directorate of Firefighting and Emergency Response successfully prevented the further spread of a fire at Mandawi market on Kabul early Sunday morning.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the ministry, said that the fire destroyed 10 storage facilities and 8 shops. He added that initial losses are estimated at around $700,000, but timely action by firefighting personnel saved property worth approximately $2.2 million.
Qani explained that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. He praised the rapid and effective containment operations, which prevented more extensive damage.
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
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