Afghanistan

Our approach
Description of the mission

The Afghanistan mission is a historic mission of Première Urgence Internationale, as it has been ongoing since 1979 as the organization’s first mission supporting the people in Afghanistan affected by conflict. For 45 years, our team has been contributing to the improvement of access to essential healthcare services to combat mortality and morbidity rates in various districts of the country. In close coordination with the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, Public Nutrition Directorate and Health Cluster at both national and regional levels, Première Urgence Internationale has built a strong knowledge of the context. Our almost 1000 employees ensure strong relationships with the community, especially women groups and Community Health Shuras, to encourage acceptance and meet the needs of the most vulnerable people. The mission has a Coordination office in Kabul and regional offices in Jalalabad, Paktia, Kunar, Laghman, Nuristan, and Ghazni.

Première Urgence Internationale
in action

In a country prone to multiple crises, whether political or natural disasters or even population displacements, our mobile emergency teams remain ready to respond. Première Urgence Internationale’s multi-faceted approach in Afghanistan allows teams to provide services in health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, nutrition, mental health and psychosocial support, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene for up to two million people.

Through static and mobile healthcare activities, teams are able to provide outpatient consultations for communicable and non-communicable diseases, including immunization for children under 2 and women of childbearing age, in under-served and hard-to-reach areas of Afghanistan. Despite the challenges that women face in accessing healthcare, 60% of PUI’s patients were women. Maternal and child health activities allowed to support 63,000 pregnant women, and to record over 2,000 safe births.

Première Urgence Internationale also support malnourished children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women with severe acute malnutrition. Teams screen thousands of children every year and provide integrated nutrition programs, including cash assistance for transportation to patients so they may reach hospitals for adequate treatment.

Water sanitation and hygiene activities included hygiene promotion sessions within facilities and within communities, but also directly supplying water in communities with high rates of waterborne diseases.