NGO alleges US occupation of Helmand clinics

NGOs and health officials have expressed concern over what they call the "occupation" of health centers, or former health centers, in parts of Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, by Afghan and international military forces. Prominent Afghan NGO Ibn-Sina, which provides health services in the insurgency-stricken province and works closely with the Health Ministry and UN agencies, told IRIN that US forces had turned three Basic Health Centers (BHCs) in Helmand into military bases, though it acknowledged that only one had been fully operational before US forces arrived. "The Miyanposhta BHC in Garmsir District was operational but it has become dysfunctional since US forces occupied it almost two months ago," Noor Khaled, an Ibn-Sina official, told IRIN, adding that the BHC in Nawa District was now both a health center and a US base. Noor said the third clinic, in Khan Nishin District, had been disused for over a year prior to being taken over by US forces. "One of the two buildings in a health clinic in 52 [name of area] of Nawa has been occupied by US and Afghan forces which has impacted health services because people are scared and do not want to go to this clinic. The clinic in Miyanposhta was functioning when US forces occupied it. It is now closed. And the clinic in Khan Nishin District was closed before US forces occupied it," Enayatullah Ghafari, director of Helmand's health department, told IRIN.