Graduation of Forty Physiotherapists in Northern Afghanistan

Afghanistan is one of those countries that suffers from luck of professional physiotherapists. This is one of the problems in the remote areas and districts of Afghanistan which people are facing.

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan with financial support of the European Union, tries to solve this problem and provided opportunity to train students in the field of Physiotherapy to remedy part of this problem.

To support this process, a total of 40 students, 21 male and 19, for the first time graduated from SCA’s three years physiotherapy program in Mazar-e-Sharif city of Balkh province located in the north of Afghanistan. They were mainly from Faryab, Sari-e-Pul, Jawzjan, Balkh and Samangan provinces. They came from ten remote districts and ten city centers.

Beside free education, the students were provided with practical exercises, laboratory for use, transportation, internet access and as well as hostel for those students who were residents from neighboring provinces.

The graduation ceremony was attended by representatives of government officials, SCA staff and students with their family members. The director of Public Health Department in Balkh province was quoted while saying: “We are facing serious problems with lack of professional physiotherapists. The graduation of these students that they spent hard days of education, will solve part of our problems. This is good news for the health departments in the north. Thank you SCA, European Union, Handicap international, Norwegian Afghanistan Committee and other organization that they work hard in implementation of this project. I am sure that graduation of these students will solve part of our problems.”

He also added: “Balkh and other provinces of the north were suffering from lack of female professional physiotherapists. Fortunately, 21 of the newly graduated students are female. I request all students to don’t hesitate any efforts serving people. They have big responsibilities and the expectation of people is also very high from them.”

This program is financially supported by European Union and implemented by the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan under the technical supervision of Balkh Institute of Health and Science. It was monitored by Balkh Public Health Department and Ministry of Public Health.

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan also implements the physiotherapy project in Takhar and Jalalabad provinces.