Meeting with Public Health Directors of Several Provinces on Disaster Healthcare Services

An online meeting was convened under the chairmanship of Mawlawi Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister of Health Services. Dr. Wahdat Alokozai, Director General of Curative Medicine at the Ministry of Public Health, and the public health directors of Kandahar, Kunar, Nangarhar, Badakhshan, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Nimroz, and Helmand provinces also attended the session.

At the outset, the deputy minister expressed his appreciation for the public health directors’ efforts in delivering essential healthcare services, emphasizing that both provincial and central health officials must take proactive measures during earthquakes, floods, and other emergencies to minimize casualties and ensure the rapid provision of healthcare assistance.

Mawlawi Abdul Wali Haqqani further highlighted the need to implement key preparedness strategies in response to natural and human-induced disasters. These include formulating and executing comprehensive emergency plans, maintaining adequate stocks of essential medicines and medical supplies, ensuring the functionality of equipment, strengthening staff capacity, and preparing mobile health teams for immediate deployment. He also underscored the importance of keeping ambulances and temporary shelters ready for rapid response.

The provincial public health directors presented detailed reports on their current state of preparedness for potential disasters and outlined their respective logistical and operational needs. The Deputy Minister assured them that their requests would be duly reviewed and addressed to enhance the resilience and responsiveness of healthcare services during emergencies.