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News Release

HHS ESTABLISHES FIRST PHASE OF MEDICAL TRAINING PROGRAM
TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE ASSISTANCE IN AFGHANISTAN

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced today the first phase of a volunteer program in partnership with the Afghan-American Physicians Association and the Afghan Medical Association allowing Afghan-American physicians the opportunity to provide needed healthcare assistance and medical training in their homeland. The new initiative is part of the department's broader effort to aid in the reconstruction efforts of the country.

To launch the program, HHS is sending a team of four Afghan-American physicians to Kabul, Afghanistan, to help develop a plan of cooperation between the two countries, and to assess where assistance is most needed.

"The medical training program is just one of the building blocks in HHS' response to aid in the recovery and reconstruction of Afghanistan," Secretary Thompson said. "Much work still needs to be done, and having this program in place will increase the free flow of medical information. We look forward to working with the Afghan community on this important public health endeavor."

To begin the volunteer program, members of the Afghan physician assessment team will travel to their homeland to collect information on the locations of clinics and hospitals, needed language and medical skills, anticipated workload, needed skill levels of future medical volunteers, as well as information on housing, transportation and expected training activities.

The team plans to meet with various organizations, including the Ministry of Public Health; Ministry of Women's Affairs; UNICEF; World Health Organization country office; International Medical Corps; Relief International; Shuhada; Kabul University Medical School; Char Asiab Hospital, Maidan Shar Hospital and Pole-Alam Hospital, and other facilities.

Team members will be in Afghanistan through mid-October.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.

Last Revised: October 08, 2002