MER-C Sends Medical Team to Afghanistan

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesian humanitarian social organization working in the field of medical emergencies, Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) will send its medical team to Afghanistan to assist humanitarian crisis that hit the country.

“The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is said to be the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. This has become the focus of attention of MER-C as a medical emergency institution for victims of war, conflict and natural disasters to participate and take part in helping to overcome the existing humanitarian crisis,” said the Chairman of the Presidium MER-C dr. Sarbini Abdul Murad at Press Conference at MER-C Headquarters in Jakarta on Friday.

He explained that a series of coordination and licensing efforts both with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Afghan Embassy in Jakarta were taken to be able to immediately send a medical team and initial assistance to a country that now controlled by the Taliban government.

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The Presidium of the Construction Division of MER-C Ir. Faried Thalib said in the early stages, the team to be sent is an assessment team consisting of two volunteer doctors, namely dr. Arief Rachman, SpRad (Chairman) and dr. Muhammad Reza Saputra, SpOT.

The team is scheduled to leave for Kabul, the Afghan capital on Sunday. “A number of initial aids for medicines based on the list of drug needs that we received from the Indonesian Embassy in Kabul will be brought along,” said Faried.

He explained that the main task of this team is to carry out a condition assessment to ascertain the urgent needs of the Afghan people, especially in the medical field, mapping the types of diseases, the need for medical personnel, and medicines and other humanitarian assistance.

In addition, Sarbini said, in coordination with the Indonesian Embassy in Kabul, the team will visit a number of health facilities, including Indonesian hospitals and clinics.

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“The initial team’s tenure is planned for the next one week. The results of the team’s condition assessment will be the basis for sending a follow-up medical team whose specialization will be tailored to the needs on the ground as well as establishing the MER-C long-term humanitarian program for Afghanistan,” concluded Sarbini.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Indonesian Committee for Islamic World Solidarity (KISDI) H.M. Mursalim R. highly appreciates and supports the humanitarian mission that will be carried out by MER-C volunteers who will carry out the mandate to overcome the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

“Goodbye and good luck to the MER-C advance team who will soon go to Afghanistan to ascertain the urgent needs there,” he said.

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Mursalim hopes that the Indonesian government and people will provide full support and assistance to Afghanistan.

“Our Afghan brothers who are affected, need our prayers, support and help. KISDI FUI will continue to raise support and assistance in the form of calls for donations to the Afghanistan humanitarian mission in mosques,” he concluded.

For MER-C this is not the first humanitarian visit to Afghanistan. In 2001 and 2002 when the war hit the country, MER-C sent its surgical team through the rough terrain in Afghanistan to visit hospitals and perform operations on war victims. Twenty years have passed, now MER-C will come to Afghanistan again to fulfill the call of humanity there.

Support and assistance for the MER-C Humanitarian Mission to Afghanistan can be channeled through: BSI-ex BSM, 701.565.8918 On behalf of the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee.(T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)