WHO Afghanistan has been strengthening emergency care services across the country through its Basic Emergency Care (BEC) training programme, enabling frontline health workers to respond faster and more effectively to trauma and life-threatening emergencies.

One of the most recent successfully completed training courses was in Balkh Province, where 54 health professionals from Balkh, Faryab, Jawzjan, Samangan and Sar-e-Pol provinces enhanced their lifesaving skills with the generous support of the People and Government of Japan.

For many communities, district hospitals are the only point of care when emergencies happen. To address this, the BEC training focused on practical, hands-on skills that help health workers quickly assess injuries, stabilize patients and organize emergency response systems to save lives before referral to specialized facilities.