Afghan health system 'close to collapse due to sanctions on Taliban'

[BeckyDem]

Peter Beaumont
Mon 13 Dec 2021 08.52 EST


Excerpt:
With the country experiencing a deepening humanitarian crisis since the Taliban’s seizure of power in August amid mounting levels of famine and economic collapse, many medical staff have not been paid for months and health facilities lack even the most basic items to treat patients.

Dr Paul Spiegel, director of the Center for Humanitarian health at Johns Hopkins University, said that on a recent five-week trip to the country he had seen public hospitals – which cater for the most vulnerable – lacking fuel, drugs, hygiene products and even basic items such as colostomy bags.

Excerpt:
Spiegel said the west needed to find a different approach to the imposition of sanctions on the Taliban: “There needs to be much more nuanced way of implementing sanctions than using such a blunt instrument [as they are currently configured],” he said.

“While understanding concerns about the Taliban … the reality is that a lot of people will die because of them.”

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/dec/13/afghan-health-system-close-to-collapse-due-to-sanctions-on-taliban

[bearsfootball516]

1. It's a very, very complex problem.

Sure, sanctions punish the Taliban. But it's millions and millions of Afgans who suffer the consequences.

[jimfields33]

2. We have to let this country figure out what it wants and must do it on their own.

20 years of our support did not really help since they really didn’t want or appreciate it. They get what they want now. It’s just going to take time for them to adjust to their new desired way of life.

[marble falls]

3. Cut the sanctions. Give them a chance to govern.

[BeckyDem]

4. That's how I see it too.

The war is over and one that never should have been in the first place.

[marble falls]

6. It's a weird thing, but it's been suggested that all the money sent to Afghanistan ...

... from our tax dollars to fund a national defense in a republican style political system was spent by local and provincial government s to pay off the Taliban for the last 20 years and and the Taliban got addicted to US dollars and arms and not having to fight very much.

I think the Taliban might be better at it than the Saudis are and not awash in billions in petrodollars.

[Irish_Dem]

5. We lost a 20 yr war in Afghanistan. And did extensive damage to the country and people.

Time to let it go. Let the country recover.