ANSF Clinic provides medical care to Farah Province villagers

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – For the people of Farah Province medical care is much easier to access through the efforts of Afghan National Security Forces and the Afghan Ministry of Health. Doctors, medics and pharmacists from the ANSF, AMOH and Coalition forces visited the Farah medical clinic to care for more than 175 Afghans Dec. 27.
 The medical professionals saw men and women from throughout the area, but the majority of patients were Afghan children brought in for preventive care by their parents.
 Word of the clinic continues to make its way throughout the province, not only through radio broadcasts, but also through word-of-mouth, said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. Families travel from outside Farah Province to be seen at the clinic.
 As the Afghan winter settles in, villagers suffer from common ailments. The clinicians treated everything, from cold and flu symptoms to severe arthritis.
 One father brought his two young sons to the clinic to be treated for flu symptoms. The medics determined the boys were suffering from the common cold and prescribed medicine to alleviate symptoms and prevent it from spreading to their chest.
 Another villager, a 50-year-old male, complained of extreme pain in both knees. Medics and doctors immediately diagnosed the problem, providing medication to alleviate the pain and control the swelling in his knees.
 “This is my first time to the clinic,” the man said.
 In addition to medical care, villagers can also gain valuable nutritional advice. The provincial nutritionist, sees all families with children visiting the clinic. He provides nutritional counselling and advice, and gives each family a package of nutritious children’s food to take home.
 The provincial pharmacist manages the clinic’s pharmacy and provides pharmacology training to Afghan National Army medics who help staff the clinic along with ANA doctors.
 “The MOH and ANA medical personnel are professionals in their field,” said Belcher. “In addition to treating the patients, they are teaching others the fundamentals of their work.”
 While building medical capacity by teaching others is one task for the clinic, the main goal is the well-being of Afghan residents in the area.
 ANA soldiers interacted with the families after their clinic visits, providing coats and jackets to many of the children.
 “Some of the kids were not wearing very much, even though it was quite cold outside,” said an ANA Soldier. “A few kids were shivering.”
ANA soldiers and medics also handed out toys and stuffed animals to the children. One lucky little girl received a stuffed bear from an ANA doctor.
“The young girl was so excited to receive the gift that she didn’t want to let it go, even to put on the new jacket,” the ANA doctor said.
“This was an excellent opportunity for the ANA soldiers, Afghan medical professionals and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to demonstrate their commitment to the people of Farah Province,” said Belcher.