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SANGIN, Afghanistan - At first, it looks like a clinic. Afghan children and men mill about the tents with over-the-counter medicine and pamphlets. Coalition forces help distribute supplies to locals after Afghan soldiers teach classes. But this outreach program is about more than just free medicine.
“It’s like the old adage of give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, and feed him for his lifetime,” said Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Hare, surgeon for 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. “We want to teach them to fish.”
By teaching the people about first aid and the use of various medicines, Afghan soldiers hope to improve local health.
“Many of the people here don’t know about basic medical care and even hand washing,” said Ghalam Fakhai, an Afghan Army doctor in Sangin. “These classes are the first step in helping people understand those things. It feels good to be a part of that.”
Though the short-term goal will raise Afghans’ quality of life, this is only a piece of the puzzle Afghanistan’s government is trying to place.
“Here we want to identify potential health workers for the community,” said Hare. Once they are trained and established in the community, they can screen others for further care.”
Community health workers would be the first tier in the hierarchy of health care, which Afghanistan’s government is trying to establish in Sangin. The government’s Ministry of Health plans to implement a program to link hospital care down to clinics and local providers, explained Hare.
“These community health workers could decide who needs further care and who could be treated here,” said Hare. “Preventative medicine is much better than trying to treat a disease in its more advanced stages.”
Many officials agree that educating the people will help shrug off Taliban oppression, but learning takes time.
“I think that any improvement we can provide is a step in the right direction,” said Gunnery Sgt. Robert Cain, a civil affairs team leader with 3rd Bn., 5th Marines. “The turn out was good, it could always be better.”
The outreach’s absence of women was one indication that locals were likely threatened by the Taliban not to attend.
But the Taliban has been hard pressed by Marines here.
“I think it’s out of desperation now, that the Taliban has turned to intimidating the locals,” said 1st Lt. Thomas Shueman, 1st Platoon commander, Kilo Company, 3rd Bn., 5th Marines. “It isn’t an ideal situation, but it’s a clear indication that the Marines have the enemy on their heels.”
A Taliban presence still lingers in Sangin. The Marines say they’ll hunt them relentlessly to protect the people. In the space between patrols and security operations, Afghan and U.S. forces will evaluate progress from all sides of the fight here, said Fakhai.
“This is an important part of helping the Sangin people,” Fakhai said. “The Afghan soldiers and the Marines are working hard to help. Events like this are just one more step to get there.”
| Date Taken: | 12.29.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 12.29.2010 02:57 |
| Story ID: | 62731 |
| Location: | SANGIN, AF |
| Web Views: | 264 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Afghan, US forces lay stepping stone in Afghanistan’s path of progress, by Sgt Dean Davis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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