Herat is the third largest city in Afghanistan after Kabul and Kandahar.
The sign posted in the Herat Regional Military Hospital that translates as
"Use your wealth for your health; not your health for your wealth."
Herat Hospitals Sign
Herat OB-GYN Hospital
The Medical Embedded Training Team at Camp Stone near Herat in western Afghanistan.
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LCDR Bruce Deschere presents OML donations to Herat Medical Faculty on July 25, 2007
Colonel Dr. Said Azim Hussaini, Executive Officer and Deputy Commander of the Herat Regional Military Hospital welcomed the 5 visitors from the Herat Medical Faculty. He noted that the military hospital had received several hundred pounds of textbooks as well and expressed his thanks to OML and the American medical mentors who are nearing the end of their one-year deployment. Dr. Azim also said he was pleased that this project will continue when the current team of 14 Navy active duty mentors are replaced by a new team.
The Dean of the Herat Medical Faculty, Dr. G. N. Aram declared his great pleasure and surprise at this extraordinary gift from OML and hoped that this begins a long fruitful relationship. He noted: “We share the goals of education that go beyond borders.” He articulated his and his faculty's desire that his school could partner with an American medical school for the benefit of the Afghan people. Joining him in thanks and hope for further collaboration were Dr. Mohammad Jan, Chief of Surgery; Dr. Mohammad Hassan Farid, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Dr. Khalil A. Aazar, Chief of Medicine; and Dr. Mohammad Anwar Anwar, Internal Medicine.
The Herat Medical Faculty was established at the Herat University under the Ministry of Higher Education in 1990. All 42 faculty are trained practitioners in the breadth of specialties and willingly provide education in this challenging environment. Students must compete to enter the government-funded curriculum with a total of 400 students in the 7 year program. The students enter after graduating high school and about 60 receive their degrees each year. The government then expects service in government programs like the military as repayment for the free education.
The donated literature will benefit the 42 faculty and 400 students at the medical school and the 12 doctors and 40 nurses at the military hospital. “We will take whatever you can send us,” said Dean of the medical school, Dr G. N. Aram as he and his colleagues expressed heartfelt gratitude. The Executive Officer of the hospital, Col. Said Azim Hussaini was instrumental in facilitating the distribution and hopes this will continue for the foreseeable future.