Dear All.
We have just heard the terrible news from Afghanistan.unfortunately Karen was part of the group that were killed whilst delivering aid and medical care in Nuristan of Afghanistan. we are distressed and deeply disturb by sad news We thank everyone for thinking of Karen at this time.
Firuz Rahimi
Bridge Afghanistan.
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Medical Expedition
Nuristan region of Afghanistan July 2010
I wanted to write to you directly regarding my upcoming trip to Nuristan, a remote province in Afghanistan. I will be trekking for over three weeks as part of a medical team in to the mountains of this inaccessible area to deliver medical care to the people living there. Working in conjunction with the International Assistance Mission (www.iam-afghanistan.org), an organisation that has been working in Afghanistan for over forty years, I will act as the team doctor and run the mother and child clinics once inside Nuristan. The expedition team also includes an eye doctor and a dental surgeon as well as me as the general physician.
I wondered if you might consider making a donation to support this expedition. The funds will be used to buy medicines and medical equipment and to fund the transport and logistics of the trek.
I am currently fundraising for this expedition – My target is $7000 USD, approximately £4,700 GBP
Afghanistan has the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in the world; one in five children die before the age of one (World bank stats for 2008). The communities who live in these remote areas get no medical care at all, so we are hoping to be able to make a really big difference to the lives and livelihoods of the people that we meet there.
The trek will not be easy; it will take three weeks and be done on foot and with packhorses - no vehicles can access the mountainous terrain. The highest reaches of the mountains are at approximately 16,000 feet and snow covered.
The expedition will require a lot of physical and mental resolve and will not be without risk but ultimately, I believe that the provision of medical treatment is of fundamental importance and that the effort is worth it in order to assist those that need it most.
Starting from the province of Badakhshan in the North of Afghanistan we will load up packhorses and begin the walk up the Munjan valley, travelling through another valley takes us to a pass that leads into the Parun Valley. We will begin at about 7,000ft, ascend to almost 16,000ft before dropping down to around 9,500 ft for our final destination. The total walking distance will be 120 miles round trip.
We will be dealing with a population of around 50,000 people in the region, many of
whom will travel to meet us along the way to be given medical care. The Munjan population are Ismaili Muslims while the Nuristanis are Sunni
and of a distinct cultural background. Common
ailments include respiratory infections, parasites,
worms, and skin infections as well as more
seriously debilitating conditions such as cataracts, malnutrition, traumatic injuries, and child birthing
injuries.
With your generosity:
£25 buys a 7 day course of Co-Amoxiclav, a broad spectrum antibiotic.
£50 buys analgesia, anti diarrhoea medication, rehydration solutions.
£100 buys bandages, syringes, needles and disposable gloves
£150 buys food and water for one team member for the trip
£250 buys vaccines and analgesia
£500 buys a portable solar panel – enough to power essential equipment such as satellite phones and GPS tracking equipment
The area in North Eastern Nuristan that we will reach is one of great harshness but of great beauty also. I hope that we will be able to provide medical care for a large number of people.
I would be most grateful for your contribution no matter how big or small.
I wanted to write to you directly regarding my upcoming trip to Nuristan, a remote province in Afghanistan. I will be trekking for over three weeks as part of a medical team in to the mountains of this inaccessible area to deliver medical care to the people living there. Working in conjunction with the International Assistance Mission (www.iam-afghanistan.org), an organisation that has been working in Afghanistan for over forty years, I will act as the team doctor and run the mother and child clinics once inside Nuristan. The expedition team also includes an eye doctor and a dental surgeon as well as me as the general physician.
I wondered if you might consider making a donation to support this expedition. The funds will be used to buy medicines and medical equipment and to fund the transport and logistics of the trek.
I am currently fundraising for this expedition – My target is $7000 USD, approximately £4,700 GBP
Afghanistan has the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in the world; one in five children die before the age of one (World bank stats for 2008). The communities who live in these remote areas get no medical care at all, so we are hoping to be able to make a really big difference to the lives and livelihoods of the people that we meet there.
The trek will not be easy; it will take three weeks and be done on foot and with packhorses - no vehicles can access the mountainous terrain. The highest reaches of the mountains are at approximately 16,000 feet and snow covered.
The expedition will require a lot of physical and mental resolve and will not be without risk but ultimately, I believe that the provision of medical treatment is of fundamental importance and that the effort is worth it in order to assist those that need it most.
Starting from the province of Badakhshan in the North of Afghanistan we will load up packhorses and begin the walk up the Munjan valley, travelling through another valley takes us to a pass that leads into the Parun Valley. We will begin at about 7,000ft, ascend to almost 16,000ft before dropping down to around 9,500 ft for our final destination. The total walking distance will be 120 miles round trip.
We will be dealing with a population of around 50,000 people in the region, many of
whom will travel to meet us along the way to be given medical care. The Munjan population are Ismaili Muslims while the Nuristanis are Sunni
and of a distinct cultural background. Common
ailments include respiratory infections, parasites,
worms, and skin infections as well as more
seriously debilitating conditions such as cataracts, malnutrition, traumatic injuries, and child birthing
injuries.
With your generosity:
£25 buys a 7 day course of Co-Amoxiclav, a broad spectrum antibiotic.
£50 buys analgesia, anti diarrhoea medication, rehydration solutions.
£100 buys bandages, syringes, needles and disposable gloves
£150 buys food and water for one team member for the trip
£250 buys vaccines and analgesia
£500 buys a portable solar panel – enough to power essential equipment such as satellite phones and GPS tracking equipment
The area in North Eastern Nuristan that we will reach is one of great harshness but of great beauty also. I hope that we will be able to provide medical care for a large number of people.
I would be most grateful for your contribution no matter how big or small.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Bridge Airlifts Medical supplies To Afghanistan
Afghan Aid (ITV Report )
A doctor from London is organising an airlift of medical supplies to Afghanistan, where she's setting up a clinic in a women's prison. Some of the supplies stockpiled by Karen Woo come from British hospitals... which would usually destroy them if they weren't used.
Doctor Woo quit her job here in London so she could work in the war-torn country. Thanks to her efforts and those of her organisation, called "Bridge Afghanistan", forty pallets of medical supplies will be landing in the Afghan capital, Kabul, later this week
You can watch the Video by clicking here
or the link
http://www.itv.com/london/afghan-aid68188/
A doctor from London is organising an airlift of medical supplies to Afghanistan, where she's setting up a clinic in a women's prison. Some of the supplies stockpiled by Karen Woo come from British hospitals... which would usually destroy them if they weren't used.
Doctor Woo quit her job here in London so she could work in the war-torn country. Thanks to her efforts and those of her organisation, called "Bridge Afghanistan", forty pallets of medical supplies will be landing in the Afghan capital, Kabul, later this week
You can watch the Video by clicking here
or the link
http://www.itv.com/london/afghan-aid68188/
BRIDGE AFGHANISTAN IN BMA NEWS
Associate medical director Karen Woo (pictured) has swapped a comfortable job with private healthcare firm BUPA for aid work and film-making in Afghanistan.
Currently in Kabul making a documentary and delivering medical supplies collected in the UK, Dr Woo told 'BMA News' she was ‘flat broke and living in a war zone’ but enjoying helping people in great need. On graduating from medical school, she commenced surgical training before joining BUPA.
She now works for medical evacuations company Remote Medical Solutions International, and is leading Bridge Afghanistan — a non-profit organisation delivering, and making a documentary about, aid in the country. For more details about donating medical supplies or funds to Bridge Afghanistan, contact THE BRIDGE AFGHANISTAN
DR KAREN WOO AND FIRUZ RAHIMI at bridge150@gmail.com
Read the BMA News by clicking here
Currently in Kabul making a documentary and delivering medical supplies collected in the UK, Dr Woo told 'BMA News' she was ‘flat broke and living in a war zone’ but enjoying helping people in great need. On graduating from medical school, she commenced surgical training before joining BUPA.
She now works for medical evacuations company Remote Medical Solutions International, and is leading Bridge Afghanistan — a non-profit organisation delivering, and making a documentary about, aid in the country. For more details about donating medical supplies or funds to Bridge Afghanistan, contact THE BRIDGE AFGHANISTAN
DR KAREN WOO AND FIRUZ RAHIMI at bridge150@gmail.com
Read the BMA News by clicking here
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
A Musical Soiree
Saturday 3rd October 2009 – 7.30pm
The Tabernacle, Powis Square, Notting Hill
Caasi Michael, Vincent, The Great Shakes , Justine Frances
Jess Mae, Angie Dixon, Robbie Chard, John Burnett-Hall
Raffle, drinks and food
RSVP: Karen 07967 098 110, Philip 07966 018 015
Read more about 'Conflict of Interest' Project of Bridge
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Broadcast Journalism Training Course
Bridge Afghanistan is going to hold a week of Broadcast journalism training course in capital Kabul and Northern Province of Jawzijan. A week of free Journalism course will coverbasic radio journalism, news writing, news varieties, technical skills and media law. At the end of one course Bridge Afghanistan will issue certificates to Male and female participants of the course. The course will start on 25th of September. If you need more information please contact the Bridge Afghanistan.
Monday, 14 September 2009
A Conflict of Interest
I (Dr Karen Woo MBBS,MRCS) met Firuz Rahimi at the Afghanaid fashion show back in March 2009. The fashion show was the brainchild of Lady Bridget Cowper-Coles wife of the British Ambassador to Afghanistan, and Mina Bavary and her sisters. I was the producer of the show and Firuz was covering the story for the BBC World Service – central Asia. We got chatting back stage and I discovered that Firuz had originally trained as a doctor back in Afghanistan before becoming a journalist and moving to the UK. As we talked we both discovered that we held the same opinion; that many things can be done if you have a will to do them. We shared the same spirit that whatever you dream to be possible can become a reality; and so a partnership was born.
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