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Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announcement that the UN agency’s first responders were already “on the ground” supporting care of the injured. The United Nations World Food Program (PAM) also highlighted its support for affected communities and the emergency response as the needs assessment began. Reports say the earthquake struck near the town of Mazar-i-Sharif around 1 a.m. local time, causing buildings to collapse on those sleeping inside. Images posted on social media from the city’s Hazrat Ali shrine – also known as the Blue Mosque – showed people walking around rubble on the ground at the site revered by Shiite Muslims. Although people were killed in the hardest-hit mountainous province of Samangan, initial aerial assessments indicated fewer signs of damage than initially feared. The UN flyover, carried out with the help of Swiss authorities, also showed no signs of the mass displacement that might have been expected if the earthquake had been more destructive. “We covered the main populated areas where the greatest number of homes are located in the area affected by the earthquake. “Thankfully, we have seen very little widespread devastation…compared to the devastating scenes we saw in Kunar just a few weeks ago. » said Richard Trenchard, acting UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan. Still in shock from the Kunar earthquake This new crisis follows a 6.0 magnitude earthquake on August 31, which destroyed thousands of homes and vital infrastructure in Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan. The disaster uprooted hundreds of thousands of people and left half a million in need of urgent medical assistance. “What began as an acute emergency has now transformed into a displacement crisis, where families are enduring prolonged stays in temporary camps amid growing health risks. » WHO said. In addition to the lack of access to clean water for displaced families, the UN agency warned of widespread open defecation and limited access to health services for women in particular, due to “the absence of female staff and lack of privacy.” Maternal and newborn health needs remain crucial for those affected by the August earthquake, amid sharp cuts in funding for humanitarian work, WHO noted, in addition to immunization, noncommunicable disease case management and mental health and psychosocial support. On the ground in Afghanistan, UN agencies and partners say collaboration and local leadership will be crucial to boosting the recovery response. Efforts are underway to preposition supplies, mobilize surveillance teams to prevent outbreaks, and prepare damaged hospitals to resume operations.
