BHC Clinic in Afghanistan was Opened

Constructed and equipped by The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), BHC Clinic in Balkh Province, Nahri Shahi District, Shadyan Village was opened.

The Shadyan Village, which is located in northern Afghanistan, Balkh Province, Nahri Shahi District, has a mountainous terrain. In this village with a population of 4,000, healthcare services used to be provided in a small house, causing a lot of hardship for the people. People of the Shadyan Village found it difficult to transport their patients to the city center due to the mountainous region. TİKA’s support made it possible to repair and equip the BHC Clinic located in Balkh Province, Nahri Shahi District, Shadyan Village; and it solved the health related troubles of the residents in both Shadyan and the surrounding villages.

Shadyan BHC Clinic’s opening ceremony was attended by Afghanistan Minister of Health Dr. Ferozuddin Feroz, TİKA Mazar-i-Sharif Coordinator Zeki Bulduk, Deputy Governor of Balkh Province Mohammad Bashir Tawhidi, Member of the Parliament Muhammad Ishaq Rahguzar, Health Director Dr. Mirwais Rabi, Head of the Provincial Council Mohammad Afzal Hadid, Deputy Head of the Provincial Council Shujauddin Shuja, TİKA Deputy Program Coordinator Savaş Gündüz, Nahri Shahi District Governorate officials, doctors and health officials of the clinic, National Directorate of Security officials, people of the Shadyan Village and village headmen from the neighboring villages.

The opening ceremony started with the recitation of the Holy Quran. Giving the opening speech, Afghanistan Minister of Health stated that the Republic of Turkey always stood by Afghanistan’s side; and that assistance regarding healthcare would continue like it does with all other issues. Minister of Health Dr. Ferozuddin Feroz expressed that TİKA’s support was not limited to the construction of the BHC Clinic and described how TİKA had been developing projects on healthcare since 12 years. Feroz pointed out that Afghan-Turk Friendship Provincial Hospital, Sheberghan Afghan-Turk Friendship Children’s Hospital, Takhar (Taloqan and Khoja Bahauddin) Mother and Child Health Clinics were being operated by TİKA. On behalf of the Afghan public, Feroz thanked the Republic of Turkey and its people for the help they provided.

TİKA Mazar-i-Sharif Coordinator Zeki Bulduk stated that Shadyan BHC Clinic was completed along with its equipment in the fastest way possible within a period of 5 months, in order to be ready to serve Shadyan people and the neighboring villages in wintertime. Coordinator Bulduk noted that healthcare related assistance would continue in Afghanistan and expressed his positive wishes to the people in Shadyan and neighboring villages with regards to their BHC Clinic.

Shadyan BHC Clinic is built on 1.5 decares of land and it consists of 9 rooms in its central building, a guardhouse, a warehouse and 6-ton water tank. Furthermore, in a groundbreaking fashion, BHC Clinic is equipped with a 5 kW solar power system, which will meet all electricity needs of the clinic. The excess electricity generated through solar power will be used for the needs of the village. To ensure its safety, the clinic was surrounded with a garden wall. Shadyan BHC Clinic will serve with Emergency Room, Gynecology, Internal Medicine and Minor Surgery units. Clinic will treat around 7,000 people from the Shadyan and surrounding villages. In addition, medical supplies and equipment of the clinic were provided by TİKA. The program ended with a tour of the rooms in the clinic and with gifts given to the children from village.