Three decades of war, trauma, disaster, accidents and land mines explosion have mimed many people in Afghanistan. A quite remarkable number of them are paraplegics. Paraplegia renders the family and children of victims unsupported and vulnerable to poverty, food insecurity and disintegration. Bringing back mobility to the paraplegics plays significant role in the survival of their families and children and in the reintegration of them to the society. The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) of Afghanistan is committed to address the needs of the thousands of its citizens with physical disabilities, valuing the contributions they will be able to make to Afghanistan’s society and economy, once their barrier of lack of mobility is removed.

“Because of the imposed war, Afghanistan is suffering a lot and many Afghan women, men and children are becoming victims of this unwanted war. Some lose their lives and some others lose their limbs. The worst case is to become paraplegic. It is a tragic catastrophe to have a disabled person in a family. It becomes even worse if bread owners of families fall victims. Afghans, however, are very resilient, tolerant and brave. Only by provision of a wheelchair we could make them mobile and enable them to resume their normal lives. This way we could help them to reintegrate to the mainstream of socio-economic activities and to stand on their own feet” said Dr. SM Amin Fatimie, Minister of Public Health. He also added: “we are grateful to our friends and supporters in Canada who do not forget Afghans and generously donate their money to purchase a wheelchair for a disabled Afghan. We are also thankful to WHEELCHAIR FOUNDATION CANADA (WFC) and CETENA GROUP who have managed to arrange the whole process including shipment and coordination with the MoPH.”

The shipment consists of 520 new wheelchairs (valued at $312,000) to be forwarded to a variety of Provincial Health Departments of MoPH and hospitals. 60 wheelchairs have been already delivered to the Afghan ParaOlympic athletes.

“I thank MoPH for accepting the consignment and for preparing a plan for the distribution of the wheelchairs. I am also thankful to Cetena Group for their support and contribution to this project, as a follow-up of a large successful mine removal campaign in cooperation with the CJTF Bagram, and Partnership Afghanistan Canada for their continuing help with the importation process of the wheelchairs” said Christiana Flessner, Executive Director of WFC, in her message for the event. “WFC is incredibly proud to have witnessed the exceptional compassion and generosity shown by individuals and organizations around the world, as Cetena Group, and is pleased to have been able to facilitate the expression of this caring. We are pleased to assist in raising awareness of the needs and abilities of those with physical disabilities in many countries of the world, specifically in Afghanistan, where the need for wheelchairs is exacerbated by the affect of landmines, lack of comprehensive medical care and presence of the polio virus. While all of us need to work together to help countries solve these long-term issues, WFC works to help those whose lives have already been devastatingly affected. Often something as simple as a wheelchair can help them regain their lives in an immediate and very tangible way .” continued Flessner. “These wheelchairs will allow physically disabled children to go to school, adults to go to work to provide money for their families, and the elderly to get out of a bed that may have been their only existence for years, to now go outside and sit in the sun.” she also added.

The Embassy of Afghanistan in Canada welcomes the news of distribution of wheelchairs provided by Wheelchair Foundation Canada through the Afghan institutions to the needy. Ambassador Omar Samad, a strong supporter of this project for the past four years, thanked all the parties involved for their efforts to help the Afghan disabled community.

Wheelchair Foundation Canada (WFC) is an independent charitable organization, involved in an international effort to create awareness of the needs and abilities of people with physical disabilities, to promote the joy of giving, create global friendship, and to deliver a wheelchair to every child, teen and adult in the world that needs one, but cannot afford one.

MoPH is indebted to the people of Canada for their generosity, WFC and Cetena Group in this regard. MoPH is also thankful to many individuals and health stakeholders, especially Afghan families and elders, the World Bank, the European Commission, the USAID, UNICEF, WHO, Rotary International, CIDA, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI Alliance) and JICA and many other individual organizations and countries who are supporting health and nutrition sector of Afghanistan.

Ministry of Public Health delivers health services impartially and without any forms of discrimination to the needy people of Afghanistan in all corners of the country and requests all parties to respect this policy and support health care providers to fulfill this noble job.

To read more on the Ministry of Public Health’s activities, please visit: http://www.moph.gov.af/

Distribution Plan for Wheelchair پلان توزیع ویلچیر

VANCOUVER, March 31 /CNW/ - The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Afghanistan welcomed a shipment of 520 new wheelchairs, valued at $312,000. This donation from Wheelchair Foundation Canada (WFC) and Cetena Group was recognized yesterday in a ceremony held by the Minister of Public Health, Dr. SM Amin Fatimie, in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The acceptance of this donation marks the MoPH's recognition that once barriers to mobility have been removed, citizens with disabilities can indeed contribute to Afghanistan's social, political and economic sectors. "It is a tragic catastrophe to have a disabled person in a family.

It becomes even worse if bread winners of families fall victim," said Dr. SM Amin Fatimie, MoPH. "Afghans, however, are very resilient, tolerant and brave. Only by provision of a wheelchair can we make them mobile again, enabling them to resume their normal lives and to stand on their own feet."

The Embassy of Afghanistan in Canada was very pleased the news of another distribution provided by WFC through Afghan Provincial Health Ministries to those in need, with 60 wheelchairs already having been delivered to Afghan Paralympic athletes. A strong supporter of this project for the past four years, Ambassador Omar Samad thanked all parties involved for their efforts to help the Afghan disabled community.

"We are delighted to assist in raising awareness of the needs and abilities of those with physical disabilities, specifically in Afghanistan, where the need for wheelchairs is exacerbated by the effect of landmines, lack of comprehensive medical care and presence of the polio virus," said Christiana Flessner, Executive Director of WFC. "All of us need to work together to help countries solve these long-term issues, WFC plays an important role by affecting real change, ensuring the disabled can regain real lives."

Flessner also wished to thank Partnership Afghanistan Canada for their continued help with the importation of the wheelchairs and the Cetena Group for their support of this project, which serves as follow-up to a large, successful land mine removal campaign. About Wheelchair Foundation Canada:

Wheelchair Foundation Canada (WFC) is an independent charitable organization, involved in an international effort to create awareness of the needs and abilities of people with physical disabilities, to promote the joy of giving, create global friendship, and to deliver a wheelchair to every child, teen and adult in the world that needs one, but cannot afford one.

For more information please visit www.wheelchairfoundation.ca or call toll free (866) 666.2411.