Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe in Afghanistan
We have been active in Afghanistan since 2010. The security situation in the country on the Hindu Kush has been critical for many years. However, the seizure of power by the Taliban in August 2021 was another dramatic turning point for the country and its people. The country's economy and especially its vital agriculture are in crisis. Access to medical care has worsened. Many hospitals have been destroyed and there is a shortage of qualified doctors. Most aid organizations have had to stop their work.
Three of our four local surgeons are still in the country and are trying to continue to help the children, albeit in a very limited fashion.
In the pandemic year of 2021, our teams were still able to perform 80 surgeries before the change of government in August. The consequences of the assumption of power by the Taliban have been considerable, especially for the women and girls in the country. Their freedom and rights have been massively restricted, and they are no longer allowed to go to work or school.
Focus of our work in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, the focus of our work is on basic care for children with cleft lip and/or palate. 59 surgeries were a good result in 2023 considering the current political situation. For us, every child who can be given a better life by the surgery it needs for its cleft counts.