Epidemics, poverty, in occupied Afghanistan

This video is called Cholera plagues Afghanistan – 21 Oct 08.

By Stuart Munckton:

Afghanistan: Cholera deaths, failing services and starvation

19 September 2009

“Constant fighting and threats to health workers have forced the closure of at least 11 of the 38 health facilities across [Kandahar] province, the population of which is estimated at over one million”, provincial health officials said, IRIN reported on September 17.

The article said the situation was much worse for women: “The absence of health providers in rural areas makes things especially difficult for women who already have limited access to work and education.”

IRIN said the maternal mortality rate was 1600 deaths per 100,000 live births — one of the worst in the world.

A September 14 IRIN report said 28 deaths from cholera and/or acute watery diarrhea (AWD) had been reported in Afghanistan in the past two months.

IRIN said that Afghanistan’s ministry of health reported at least 673 cases of AWD and/or cholera in 11 of the country’s 34 provinces.

Tragic Fate of Afghan Bomb Survivor: here.

US General Stanley McChrystal warned that, unless the US and its allies gained the initiative [in Afghanistan] and reverse the momentum of resistance forces within the next year, the US “risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible”: here.

Extreme poverty drives Afghan children to work in odd jobs: here.

New Pew Poll on Afghanistan Shows Dwindling Support for the War: here.

Afghanistan: unions support ‘troops out’ rallies: here.

In hospitals around Australia, soldiers who have been seriously wounded in Afghanistan are checked in under false names in order to protect them from the public eye: here.

USA: Afghanistan war resister Travis Bishop has been held largely “incommunicado” in the Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility at Fort Lewis, Washington: here.

The US and NATO countries involved in the occupation of Afghanistan have signaled their willingness to recognize the re-election of Afghan President Hamid Karzai despite evidence of massive fraud in the August 20 elections: here.

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