On October 7, two back-to-back 6.3-magnitude earthquakes hit western Afghanistan, affecting Herat province. Thousands of people have been reported killed, and many more injured and missing. The disaster has displaced families and left them living in congested shelters with limited access to water and other resources.
International Medical Corps is coordinating with various humanitarian actors, including clusters, UN agencies, NGOs and the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority, to implement a collective and effective response to the deadly earthquakes. We dispatched our first batch of relief items, including winterization kits, to the Zindajan district, which has reported high levels of destruction and displacement. We are also working to establish a mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) working group, train frontline staff on psychological first aid and lead the infant and young-child feeding technical working group in Herat at the request of the Nutrition cluster.
Previously, International Medical Corps immediately responded to another deadly earthquake that struck Paktika and Khost provinces in Afghanistan on June 22, 2022. And we are ready this time, too, to provide whatever help is needed. We continue to prioritize delivering lifesaving services, including health, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, MHPSS, protection, and non-food items, to the affected people in Zindajan and Injil districts in Herat. At the same time, we are taking all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff and partners on the ground.
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Your Support can Save Lives!
By supporting this project or creating a giving opportunity of your own, you can make a lifesaving difference for families affected by crises in Afghanistan and worldwide.
With the support of our global community, in 2023, we:
• reached nearly 16.5 million people affected by armed conflict, natural disasters and disease outbreaks;
• delivered 9,331,598 primary healthcare consultations;
• trained 107,202 people on health, mental health, protection and nutrition-related topics; and
• assisted 2,375,098 people with vital nutrition support.
Join International Medical Corps in our mission to build a healthier and more hopeful world for all in 2024.
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*Please Note for recurring donations: Once we have determined that the community can continue to respond to the after-effects of this emergency without us, we will scale back our response efforts. At that time, we will redirect your future donations where they are needed most, to help us respond to future outbreaks of conflict, disease or disaster.
