Afghanistan: Amid humanitarian crisis, Red Cross paying health worker salaries, buying equipment

Kabul [Afghanistan], December 12 (ANI): Amid the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is paying the salaries of 6,000 medical employees and providing medical equipment for at least 23 public hospitals, an official said.
The ICRC has pledged to provide financial support to various health centres in Afghanistan, reported Tolo News.
"The ICRC is working to remove the obstacles in the health sector. The process of supporting the hospitals will go on for some days," said Munqad Abdul Rahman Rodwal, a senior official at the ICRC.
"The ICRC is providing salaries for employees of 15 health centres across Afghanistan so far. It has provided health products as well."
This comes as the Afghan health sector is facing a potential collapse.
"I am as happy as a newborn child as I receive my salary today," said Nik Mohammad, a health employee, reported Tolo News.
Afghan health officials called on the international community to prevent the health sector from a possible collapse, reported Tolo News.
"We call on the health organization to help us in the health sector because the number of patients is overwhelming... the amount of medical equipment has dropped," said a doctor. (ANI)