Afghanistan: Kunduz hospitals in urgent need of medical supplies and personnel

As the fighting continues in the city of Kunduz, the International Committee of the Red Cross is increasingly concerned about the welfare of civilians in the city and the lack of medical supplies and personnel.

"The ICRC's priority at the moment is to ensure the safety of civilians and the delivery of essential medical material to the hospitals," said the head of the ICRC delegation in Afghanistan, Jean-Nicolas Marti.

"We are very short-staffed in the hospitals. The medical staff in the city cannot get to the hospitals because of the on-going fighting," said an ICRC doctor, Peter Esmith Ewoi, who is working in the city.

The ICRC, has emergency medical supplies ready to be flown in from Kabul, as soon as security at Kunduz airport improves.

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating due to an increase in violent incidents across the country, an increase in civilian casualties and repeated violations of international humanitarian law.

"We call on all parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of the civilian population and to facilitate the work of those trying to provide humanitarian support to the people," said Mr Marti.

For further information, please contact:

Nicolas Elias Metri, ICRC Kabul, tel: +93 729 140 510
Neha Thakkar, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 3160 or +41 79 574 0636