By Air Force Staff Sgt. Nestor Cruz
International Security Assistance Force

KABUL, Afghanistan (July 6, 2012) — Medical professionals from International Security Assistance Force locations across Afghanistan banded together to donate medical supplies to the Isteqlal Hospital here for the treatment of burn victims.

The supplies were gathered and donated in response to a July 4 gas explosion that left many Afghans in critical condition.

“On the evening of the incident, ISAF was requested to provide additional medical supplies and to consider transferring some patients from the Isteqlal Hospital into their facilities,” said U.K. Royal Air Force Group Capt. Stephen Kilbey, ISAF deputy medical advisor and Combined Joint Medical Branch deputy chief.

“That same night, a joint ISAF and Afghan Ministry of Public Health assessment of the patients was conducted to determine those who would be most suitable to transfer.”

The United States Agency for International Development immediately provided the burn hospital with enough emergency medical supplies to treat the patients for 48 hours.

“The MoPH, supported by the Afghan Army Medical Services and some ISAF medical facilities, was involved in the initial treatment of the victims,” said Kilbey. “That bought time for us to bring medical supplies from all over Afghanistan.”

U.S., British, Spanish, Italian and German forces from various locations quickly gathered the necessary supplies to treat the burn victims. Supplies were donated from Helmand, Camp Bastion, Role 3 in Kandahar, Role 2E in Herat, Bagram, Mazar-e-Sharif and even as far as Qatar. The supplies included antibiotics, IV fluids, pain relievers and bandages.

“The seriousness of the incident would have easily overwhelmed any health system, so we are happy to assist in any way we could,” said Army Maj. Mick Kramer, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan health advisor for the MoPH. “When an incident goes on, we feel bad when we’re not involved.”

In addition to the initial and continuing treatment of the victims, several patients are being transferred for further care.

“On July 6, ISAF Joint Command headquarters, supported by MoPH, arranged for eight patients to be transferred, and this is occurring now,” said Kilbey. “They will remain in our medical treatment facilities for some time.”

Dr. Jawed Yussufpur, Isteqlal Hospital medical director, thanked ISAF forces for the quick response and donation of much-needed supplies.

“We are very happy and grateful for the assistance from ISAF,” Yussufpur said. “They are true friends to our hospital and we are very hopeful that they are with us every time.”

The hospital director said cooperation like this helps to strengthen the bond between Afghanistan and its allies. “I feel very good about the relationship between us,” Yussufpur said. “We hope to cooperate with ISAF again and again and we also hope our relationship stays very strong.”

Kilbey said medics share a common bond and that he is glad to help relieve some of the burden on his fellow medics.

“I’m just glad to be able to bring health to Afghanistan,” he said.

According to Kilbey, the Isteqlal Hospital in Kabul is one of two burn hospitals in Afghanistan and the main facility in the country. The second hospital is located in Herat.