Afghan women learn first aid

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Cammie Quinn
  • Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktya
PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  Thirteen Afghan women received life-saving first aid training at a provincial women's development center meeting Nov. 1 in the Paktya province.

U.S. service members assigned to the Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Nebraska Agribusiness Development Team, both located on Forward Operating Base Goode, taught the women how to treat burns, lacerations and abrasions. In the past, the Paktya director of women's affairs has organized town meetings, or "shuras", health workshops and media engagements for women in Paktya.

The DOWA is an Afghan ministry-appointed position with the authority and obligation to raise awareness of concerns and advocate for Afghan women.

Medics Tech Sgt. Rebecca Rose, with the ADT, and Staff Sgt. April DeLuna, with the PRT, conducted an interactive training program for the women. During the one-hour course, the medics emphasized proper hygiene techniques such as hand washing and the use of gloves while treating wounds.

"The women learned the 'cold, clean' method," DeLuna said. "They'd never heard to clean with cold, clean water and were using alternative methods to treat wounds."

The women shared stories about their previous home-medical treatments during the meeting

"I've used cold potatoes on my children's wounds to stop the burning," one student said. "Potatoes and egg yolk both help to prevent the burn from spreading."

Along with training, the group also received first-aid medical kits, stocked with bandages, a gauze compress, gloves, antibiotic ointment and other supplies.

The meeting was coordinated through Khalema Khazan, the Paktya DOWA and the Team Paktya Women's Advocacy Group.

"I want a common understanding for every woman to know their rights and freedoms under Islam," Khazan said. "We have shuras in the women's development center for Paktya women to teach them important skills. Education is very important. Our center is focused on teaching the more than 40,000 women in Paktya."