Badghis Residents Seek Hospital Expansion Amid Bed Shortage

QALA-I-NAW, Afghanistan (Afghan Verified) -- Residents of Badghis province in western Afghanistan have complained about a severe shortage of beds at the provincial hospital, which operates with only 100 beds across departments of general internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, neonatology, and nutrition.

More than 1,000 patients visit the hospital daily, with over 200 requiring hospitalization, but many cannot be admitted due to lack of space, according to public health officials cited a year ago. Those officials said efforts were underway to increase beds and establish new wards.

Mohammad Yasin, a Qala-i-Naw resident, said his nine-month-old child with a chest and lung illness had waited three days for admission. "Two to three patients are currently being placed in each bed in the children’s ward," he told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Walidad, another Qala-i-Naw resident, reported similar issues in the women’s ward, saying his patient had been turned away for three days. Abdul Hamid Haidari from Muqur district said his 12-year-old child with severe diarrhea was sharing a bed with another patient.

Ismail, also from Qala-i-Naw, noted the hospital's limited capacity for emergencies, such as traffic accidents or natural disasters, given the influx from districts. Abdul Sami Anwari cited a recent traffic accident at Band-i-Sabzak that overwhelmed the facility due to the bed shortage.

Residents urged authorities to expand capacity to 250-300 beds, hire more doctors, provide free medicine, improve facilities, and add specialist departments like ENT and dermatology.