MSF opens its first clinic in Kunduz since the bombing of its trauma hospital there in 2015

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MSF opens its first clinic in Kunduz since the bombing of its trauma hospital there in 2015

July 23rd, 2017

Awake Goy

nsnbc : Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reopened its trauma clinic in Kunduz, Afghanistan, Saturday. It is MSF’s first clinic in Kunduz since its trauma hospital there was destroyed in U.S. air strikes in 2015, causing the death of scores of medical staff, care givers and patients.

MSF trauma clinic in Kunduz during the 2015 U.S. air raid. Photo courtesy MSF.

Silvia Dallatomasina, MSF’s head of programs in Afghanistan, told reporters “The opening of this clinic is the first step toward providing more medical assistance in Kunduz. … And for us it’s an important step.”

MSF has, since the U.S. air strike and subsequent raid by U.S. special operations forces of its trauma clinic in Kunduz, in 2015, been trying to secure assurances from both U.S. American and Afghan military officials that their medical facilities would be respected and protected.

MSF has – before, and repeatedly after the bombing of its clinic in Kunduz – stressed that there is no excuse for bombing MSF facilities, and that MSF enforces a strict “no weapons policy” at all of its clinics.

In other words – a bombing of a clinic will, under any circumstances, always, exclusively, target non-combatants. The air raid an attack in 2015 resulted in the death of 42 patients, medical staff and care givers.

Dallatomasina said “We are still finalizing commitments but we believe we were able to reach an agreement.” The new clinic in Kunduz will only provide outpatient treatment for minor or chronic injuries.

An MSF staff worker walking through the ruins of the Trauma Hospital in Kunduz, hours after the air rain on October 3, 2015.

The new clinic is not located at the premises of the destroyed hospital. Patients who need more advanced care including X-rays will still need to go to the government-run regional hospital, which has been overworked amid heavy fighting in the province.

“The regional hospital is quite overwhelmed, so we want to try to reduce that burden by treating less serious injuries,” Dallatomasina said. While no final plans have been confirmed, MSF hopes to begin building a new trauma center in Kunduz as early as 2018, although likely on a smaller scale than the previous facility, she said.

The MSF trauma center in Kunduz was destroyed during a period in 2015 when Taliban militants briefly overran the city. An American military probe concluded that the attack was the result of human error and equipment failure, among other factors. At least sixteen U.S. military personnel were disciplined for their role.

However, MSF has criticized the lack of independent investigation into the incident and transparency. “The security in Kunduz is still quite volatile, and we know that the needs are really dire,” Dallatomasina said.

CH/L – nsnbc 22.07.2017

Source Article from https://nsnbc.me/2017/07/22/msf-opens-its-first-clinic-in-kunduz-since-the-bombing-of-its-trauma-hospital-there-in-2015/