MSF hospital treats 23 injured in blast
12 September, 2012
KUNDUZ: Following a major explosion on Monday, 37 people were brought to the surgical hospital run by the international humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders. Thirteen persons with severe injuries died on way to hospital.
"The explosion was close to the hospital, and the patients arrived within minutes," said Anna Halford, MSF's field coordinator in Kunduz. "Handling such incidents is a race against time."
Fourteen patients were stabilised, treated and sent home, while nine were admitted to the hospital in need of further care, one of whom later died in surgery. The majority of patients had injuries including fractures, head traumas and abdominal injuries.
"A key part of our response is launching a mass casualty plan immediately - this allows medical staff to rapidly identify and prioritize patients' medical needs based on a few vital signs," said Anna Halford.
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