Linked with our presentation of Malalai Joya – Afghanistan, and Malalai Joya’s Historical Speech in the Loya Jirga.
Hamoon Health Center has room for three doctors, but only one doctor actually works there now because they can’t afford more. Every day 200-300 women come and wait outside the clinic for health care. It’s the only free clinic in the area. There are two other clinics, but you have to pay for them, and most of the women and children who come here have no money. So Hamoon Health Care Center is completely overcrowded and overstretched.
Health care is one of the biggest disasters in Afghanistan. Maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world. They were among the highest in the world before the fall of the Taliban, they’re still the highest in the world, and the U.N. DP Report that I mentioned says that the highest ever recorded rates of maternal mortality have been found in Afghanistan. In Badakhan Province, one in every 15 women dies during childbirth. So we’ve heard about health care being improved in Afghanistan, but the media didn’t tell us that all it’s very superficial, it’s all very token. These women are desperately struggling to try to get the most basic of health care. And Hamoon Health Center is completely short on funds. See Malalai Joya (left), Sonali Kolhatkar and James Ingalls of the Afghan Women’s Mission in Farah, Afghanistan, January 2005.
DONATIONS WILL BE USED FOR:
Malalai Joya’s US tour – a grassroots group of volunteers and organizations across the US have organized a speaking tour for Ms. Joya. Funds are needed to pay for her travel, room and board.
Security – Malalai Joya’s life is in danger because of routine death threats from warlords. Funds are needed to pay security guards, etc.
Hamoon Clinic – Malalai Joya runs Hamoon Clinic in the remote Farah Province of Afghanistan. Hamoon Clinic is the only health center in the area that offers free services (including medication) to its patients, who are primarily women and children. Hamoon has been forced to downsize its medical staff due to a dangerous drop in funding. (For donation, you can also print out this form).
Information in italian.