ANA gains first military surgery capabilities in Helmand

[CENTCOM]

ANA gains first military surgery capabilities in Helmand

CAMP SHORBAK, Afghanistan (May 15, 2013) -- Coalition and Afghan National Army service members worked together to create Afghanistan’s first Air Transportable Treatment Unit (ATTU) ¬¬at Camp Shorbak in Helmand Province earlier this month.

It is the first of eight ATTUs scheduled for construction throughout Afghanistan. The ATTU is designed to provide a mobile capability to surgical stabilization on the battlefield.

“This is exactly what we need for right now,” said ANA surgeon Dr. Sami Yosufazai. “The ATTU will serve as a lifesaving surgical facility until we can get a bigger regional medical center built. The capabilities of this facility and the training our medical teams will receive at it will greatly improve our medical abilities.”

The ATTU will function as the only Afghan military-owned medical facility with trauma-stabilizing surgery capabilities in Helmand. Camp Shorbak’s current clinic cannot deal with surgeries. It’s mainly used for military sick call, minor injuries and immunizations.

The ATTU at Camp Shorbak is unique. Other ATTUs are intended for expeditionary use, meaning they are moved from location to location. The Shorbak ATTU sits inside a warehouse next to the existing clinic. It will supplement and expand the clinic’s current capabilities, said U.S. Navy Capt. Joseph J. Kochan, deputy command surgeon for NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and CSTC-A.

“This addition is a significant improvement over the current situation in Helmand. It gives them the ability to take care of their own patients, which is a big step, given right now they rely on the personnel and facilities of Camp Bastion,” Kochan said. “It’s Afghans taking care of Afghans, which is what we are trying to develop.”

In addition to its functional surgical capabilities, the ATTU will serve as a training center where coalition members from Camp Bastion teach rotating surgical teams of approximately 20 ANA medical personnel during a 90-day course.

“It is much needed,” said Yosufazai. “It will help us grow and promote our medical readiness.”

The goal is to have the ATTU up and running quickly and using it in a functional manner, treating patients by the end of May.

ANA Gains First Military Surgery Capabilities in Helmand | ISAF - International Security Assistance Force

Ali Khan
DET, United States Central Command
www.Centcom.mil/Ur

 

[That Guy]

Good for them, it remains to be seen if it will be helpful in the long run.

 

[IamINDIA]

do they get air support from ISAF?

 

[That Guy]

do they get air support from ISAF?

I think they do, but from what I can tell, the ANA recently got banned from calling in NATO/ISAF air support. They still do though, as most ANA and ANP forces tend to ignore what the Afghan government says.

 

[BATMAN]

Are their any schools, universities and hospitals built?

 

[pakistani342]

I think this: "ANA gains first military surgery capabilities in Helmand" should be appreciated in the context of 650+ billion dollars that went into Afghanistan over 10+ years.

Sadly: "quite pathetic" is what must be concluded.

 

[CENTCOM]

Are their any schools, universities and hospitals built?

Thanks for your comment! Yes, we’ve been working diligently to revitalize Afghanistan’s infrastructure. To be more specific, we’ve already spent over 7.9 billion dollars in developmental assistance. Let me just review some of the facts pertaining to you question. “In the past several years, USAID alone has built more than 680 schools, more than 670 clinics, and reconstructed more than 3,000 km of roads. Currently, there are approximately six million students in school, with an estimated 35% being girls. The number of girls currently enrolled in school exceeds the total school enrollment under the Taliban – there were 900,000 students enrolled in school under the Taliban and now there are over two million girls in school. Between 2002 and 2007, USAID invested $422 million into improving health care services in Afghanistan, and spent an estimated $66 million in 2008. Through a variety of health programs, more than 8.5 million people annually in 13 provinces served by USAID have better access to quality health care. Additionally, thanks to efforts by USAID, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), and the international community, child mortality has dropped by 26% since 2002.”
The information above details some of our developmental assistance in Afghanistan. I would like you to click on this link below and read the full details:

Frequently Asked Questions | afghanistan.usaid.gov

Ali Khan
DET, United States Central Command
U.S. Central Command