In the last 24 hours the number of wounded people arriving at Emergency Surgical Centre for War Victims in Kabul has stabilized, but the institution reported an increasing number of war-wounded patients at its health facility in Panjshir province north of Kabul. 

The hospital received 37 patients, of whom only five were admitted as they were in critical condition, the statement said, adding that the hospital had been extremely busy for several days and therefore the admission criteria were restricted to those with serious trauma and life-threatening injuries. 

“The situation in the city seems to have improved, although unfortunately there was unrest again at the airport this morning to suppress the mass of people trying to catch a plane to leave the country. The situation is chaotic and it is difficult to understand what is really happening there. Last night, however, we heard Kalashnikov fire in our district,” said Alberto Zanin, Emergency’s Medical Coordinator in Kabul. 

The reduced influx of patients made it possible to return the hospital back to its regular working capacity of 100 beds. If the situation does not deteriorate, Emergency plans to widen its admission criteria imminently, the statement said. 

“As far as our hospital in Anabah in the Panjshir Valley is concerned, unfortunately we have to report that admissions for war surgery are increasing and we are identifying some areas to be converted for the treatment of wounded people. The Surgical Centre for War Victims in Lashkar-Gah, on the other hand, seems to be relatively stable again,” Zanin said. 

Referring to the ongoing situation more generally, he said that their local colleagues remain concerned about the uncertainty and instability, “but we are confident that the new authorities will allow us to continue working in the country, which needs us more than ever at this time.”