Every day, all over the world, USAID brings peace to those who endure violence, health to those who struggle with sickness, and prosperity to those who live in poverty. It is these individuals — these uncounted thousands of lives — that are the true measure of USAID’s successes and the true face of USAID's programs.
Thirty years of war and civil strife has had a crippling effect on Afghanistan’s civil-society and health services, leading to some of the highest infant, child, and maternal mortality rates in the world. In 2002, Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health initiated strategic efforts to address the health needs of Afghan society, in order to rebuild Afghanistan’s public health services and infrastructure and to develop closer ties to the non-governmental organization community.
Almost 90 percent of the people of Bamyan Province rely on potato crops as their primary source of income. The province is well-known for its good quality potatoes countrywide. Farmers use traditional farming methods to plant their crops. Recently, a potato growing community in the province established the Potato Cooperative Association, with the aim to unify farmers, increase crop outputs and production, and improve their income.
The 520-bed Jalalabad Public Health Hospital in Nangarhar Province is large and exceptionally busy with an average of 40,000 to 50,000 outpatients and 1,700 baby deliveries per month. "For these reasons, hospital staff members were not enthusiastic about having to attend another meeting," said Medical Director Dr. Sayed Afandi. But in October 2009, a Drug and Therapeutics Committee was established at this busy hospital and staff attitudes began to change.
When USAID completed the 103 kilometer Keshim-to-Faizabad Road in December 2010, increased traffic and decreased travel times led to improved trade opportunities along the corridor. Sensing these opportunities, Janatti, a local businessman, established a shop sixteen kilometers from Keshim City about six months before the road was finished. After the road was paved, the shop’s customer base swelled. Today, Janatti keeps his shop open 13 hours a day to serve drivers passing on the road.
The Ministry of Public Health maintains 53 pharmacy stores, which are managed by 118 pharmacists. These government operated pharmacies are often the first source of contact for low-income patients. However, a number of challenges need to be overcome in order to provide quality patient care including poor dispensing practices and record keeping, insufficient knowledge of medicines listed in Afghanistan Essential Drug List and Licensed Drug List, weak communication with patients concerning their medications, and avoidance of dialogue with doctors to clarify prescriptions regarding dose and duration.
With support from USAID, Afghanistan's Minister of Education H.E. Dr. Wardak paid a visit to Washington, D.C, from May 29 through June 5, where he met with officials from the U.S. Government to include congress and USAID, World Bank, and the Asia Foundation. Minister Wardak’s visit served to ensure US support and cooperation to the Afghan Ministry of Education.
During a recent visit to Hirat Province, U.S. Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry enjoyed a brief discussion with Sima Ghoryani, the charismatic founder and head of the Ghoryan District Women’s Saffron Association. Founded in 2008, the association is comprised of women saffron growers in Ghoryan District, located in western Hirat Province on the Iranian border. In 2009, with a grant from USAID, the association registered with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and bought packaging and marketing equipment used by its members to develop their businesses.
Fresh from an eight-day training on entrepreneurship development in India, Mahooba Waizi and Khubera Zaifi of the Afghan Women’s Business Council (AWBC) are applying their knowledge to strengthen the role of Afghan women in the country’s agribusiness sector. As partners of USAID in a gender-focused, agribusiness entrepreneurship program, the practical training helped the women leaders shape their plan to expand market share and break into international markets.
Officials from Kabul University and the U.S. Government recently inaugurated the Kabul University Renewable Energy Laboratory (KURE Lab) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour of the facility.
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