Subscribe
Story by Lieutenant Junior Grade Egdanis Torres Sierra, Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan PAO
KABUL, Afghanistan (March 23, 2017) — Patient care remained uninterrupted at the Kabul National Military Hospital here, despite the March 8 terrorist attack on its facilities, staff members and patients.
After a group of terrorist gunmen pretending to be doctors attacked the hospital, killing at least 49 people and injuring 96 others, hospital staff continued doing what they do best: ensuring their patients receive the care they need.
“They used weak minds to seek their devious aims. They dressed up as one of us and began killing innocent people with knifes and magnetic bombs. Once the alarm was activated, they were attacking everyone coming their way,” recounted Maj. Gen. Abdul Razaq Siawash, Afghan National Army medical commander. “There was a female about 70 years old that came here for an X-Ray. They killed her as well, and her two grandkids.”
During the dire moments of the attack, everyone at the scene reacted, blocking doors and barricading themselves in while the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces arrived. About 14 doctors and staff members kept the attackers busy while others attended to the wounded and began evacuating patients.
“I am proud of the medical staff because they fought. I appreciate those doctors who ran inside risking their lives to help,” Siawash said. “They managed to evacuate hundreds of patients from the area including those wounded. That is honorable.”
The staff at the KNMH remained on duty until all casualties and patients were either treated or transferred to other facilities.
“These health care professionals provided state of the art combat casualty care, frequently with only the equipment and supplies that could be salvaged or improvised on the spot,” explained Gary Davis, clinical advisor to ANA MEDCOM.
On the night of the attack, Afghan leaders leveraged resources from their government and began repair work. In 78 hours, staff cleaned the facility, rebuilt walls, replaced windows, and most importantly, patients were receiving normal medical care.
The hospital staff worked tirelessly to restore the clinical and functional capability and patients were returning to the hospital within 72 hours of the attack, explained Davis.
In spite of this tragedy, the medical command restored normal patient care within a week of the attack.
“We have no problem receiving patients right now,” explained Brig. Gen. Asif Bromand, KNMH commander. “We have 400 beds ready. Our diagnosis department is operational as well as our operating room and intensive care unit.”
The hospital is now primed to emerge as a state-of-the-art facility with greater clinical capabilities. It will also have an improved security systems with electronic scanning equipment at all entry control points, and more cameras.
The medical facility has the capacity to provide patient care to soldiers from all over Afghanistan. It is the principal referral center for the treatment of combat casualties and victims of trauma.
The KNMH currently serves about 500 family members of the ANA as outpatients and 400 or more from all over Afghanistan.
“This is not only a military hospital. This is an academic hospital,” Siawash explained. “We are changing beneficiary policies to have better accountability and visibility of who is brought here as a patient. We are also transferring our national medical academy here so our ANA medical students can complete most of their training at this facility.”
The attack on unprotected patients and medical staff was strongly condemned by Afghan leaders and throughout the international community.
“I can assure you that the terrorists had no effect on our morale or the morale of our country. They wanted to weaken our medical capabilities. Now, with help from Resolute Support and coalition partners, we are building this hospital to be better than ever,” Siawash concluded.
| Date Taken: | 03.23.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.05.2017 03:02 |
| Story ID: | 228996 |
| Location: | AF |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, After terror attack, Kabul military hospital continues care, by LCDR Egdanis Torres Sierra, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
