EMERGENCY: Situation Is Stabilising in Kabul But Clashes Continue At The Airport

Number of War-Wounded Patients Received Increases in Panjshir

In the last 24 hours, the number of wounded people arriving at EMERGENCY’s Surgical Centre for War Victims in Kabul has stabilised. The hospital received 37 patients, of whom only five were admitted as they were in critical condition. The hospital had been extremely busy for several days and therefore the admission criteria were restricted to those with serious trauma and life-threatening injuries.

“The situation in the city seems to have improved, although unfortunately there was unrest again at the airport this morning to suppress the mass of people trying to catch a plane to leave the country. The situation is chaotic and it is difficult to understand what is really happening there. Last night, however, we heard Kalashnikov fire in our district,” says Alberto Zanin, EMERGENCY’s Medical Coordinator in Kabul.

The reduced influx of patients made it possible to return the hospital back to its regular working capacity of 100 beds. If the situation does not deteriorate, EMERGENCY plans to widen its admission criteria imminently.

“As far as our hospital in Anabah in the Panjshir Valley is concerned, unfortunately we have to report that admissions for war surgery are increasing and we are identifying some areas to be converted for the treatment of wounded people. At the Surgical Centre for War Victims in Lashkar-Gah, on the other hand, the situation seems to be relatively safe again.”

Referring to the ongoing situation more generally:

“Our local colleagues remain concerned about the uncertainty and instability of the situation, but we are confident that the new authorities will allow us to continue working in the country, which needs us more than ever at this time,” Zanin concludes.