Providing First-Aid Kits

First-aid kits should be kept in schools and households to treat minor injuries and prevent further infections.

In Afghanistan, although public medical institutions like hospitals are not widely available for people to receive treatments, most people lack knowledge on first-aid treatment. A first-aid kit may not be enough to fully protect family members and students from injuries, but it does help to prevent conditions from worsening.

A first-aid kit consists of various items that can be used to treat external wounds such as cuts, bruises, sprains, and burns. Ideally, first-aid kits should be at hand not only in schools and households but also at event venues, in vehicles, as well as during travels.

JEN has been providing first-aid kits in addition to sanitary items such as soap and toothbrushes to all schools assisted since 2011.

Last year, I went to monitor sanitary education at Main Shakh High School. The school is located in Charikar district, which is far from the city and it is hard for the residents to visit hospitals.

When JEN staff arrived at the school, we met an injured student. He stepped on a piece of glass on the way to school and his foot was bleedin. I called the school guard right away, and we carried him into the school, where the principal, a teacher, and I used the first-aid kit provided by JEN to treat the wound.

[JEN staff member showing how to treat the wound]

The student seemed very relieved: without first aid treatment, his bleeding could have gotten worse.

The principal had also treated a girl who cut her finger three weeks ago, after finding her and her mother struggling to get to a distant hospital.

[Treating a child who cut his foot]

Although the principal has some knowledge on first aid, most other teachers and the village residents do not know how to use the first-aid kit. JEN has provided sanitary education as part of its assistance, and the teachers asked for a session for them to learn how to use the first-aid kit as well.

Sultan Khamoush

JEN Field officer, Afghanistan Project


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