KABUL (SW) – The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has announced that in the past six months, it has provided treatment to 5,399 mental health patients across Kabul, Nangarhar, Balkh, Herat, and Kunduz. Of those treated, 1,896 have recovered and returned to their families.
In a meeting held on Wednesday, to present the Afghan Red Crescent Society’s recent achievements, Hafiz Aziz al-Rahman, the Deputy director of the ARCS, shared details about their efforts, saying, “5,399 men and women with mental health issues have received treatment from the Afghan Red Crescent. Among them, 1,121 individuals received care at our centers, and 4,278 others were treated at home. Out of this group, 1,896 have been treated and returned to their families.”
Additionally, he highlighted the organization’s ongoing work in identifying and assisting street beggars across the Afghanistan.
“So far, more than 122,000 beggars have been identified. Among them, 2,971 families have been deemed eligible for support and are receiving monthly cash assistance,” Rahman said. “In the past six months, more than 4 million afghanis have been distributed to 627 families who had resorted to begging.”
Modaser Hamraz, the spokesperson for the Afghan Red Crescent Society, also pointed out the increasing humanitarian needs in the country. While he did not provide exact figures on the rising demand for assistance, he stressed that the situation is dire.
“The need in Afghanistan is very high, as the country has endured years of conflict, in addition to natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. Our aid is not enough, but we continue working to reach more people in need,” he explained.
Furthermore, Afghan Red Crescent officials emphasized their efforts to empower vulnerable women.
In collaboration with Qatar’s Red Crescent, over the past six months, the Afghan Red Crescent has provided vocational training in sewing, embroidery, and carpet weaving to 1,172 widows and 150 other needy individuals. These programs have been carried out in Kabul, Kandahar, Helmand, Farah, Faryab, Badakhshan, and Balkh provinces.
