KANDAHAR, May 1 (Xinhua) -- "Thank God that I have recovered, and I am satisfied with the outcome of the treatment received here at the Mirwais Regional Hospital, and I can go home in sound health now," whispered Abdul Ahmad, 63, from Kandahar province recently.
Ahmad, who had suffered from headache and rheumatism for a long time, expressed gratitude to the doctors at the hospital, saying that he feels much better and walks easily after being discharged from the sanatorium.
The Mirwais Regional Hospital, locally known as the "Chinese Hospital", was built by China in 1974 and put into operation in 1979 on 44 acres of land in Kandahar, the largest city in the southern region as a gift to the Afghan people.
Appreciating the hospital as a sign of friendship between Afghanistan and China, the head of Provincial Health Department of Kandahar, Abdul Qayum Pukhla, told Xinhua that the hospital has increased its beds from 250 to 350 now.
"Our plan is to upgrade the capacity of the hospital from 350 beds at the moment to 600 beds in the future and to achieve the goal we need financial support," Pukhla told Xinhua.
The Mirwais Regional Hospital is the largest health center in Afghanistan's southern region that provides health services to the people of Kandahar and neighboring Zabul, Helmand and Uruzgan provinces, Pukhla said, adding that patients even from Nimroz, Farah and Daikundi provinces travel to the regional hospital to receive medical treatment.
The hospital provides all services free of charge, Pukhla said, adding ICRC has been supporting the hospital since 1995.
According to the official, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) finances four million U.S. dollars annually to the Mirwais hospital to cover the hospital's expenses including medicines and staff bonuses.
The hospital provides almost all kinds of services to patients ranging from diagnosis of diseases to surgery of war victims, childcare and maternity.
Hundreds of patients visit the hospital daily to receive medical treatment.
China has also rebuilt the Jamhuriat Hospital (Republic Hospital) in Afghanistan's capital city of Kabul which provides health services to scores of people daily.
"I am very much sound and stable and feels no pain at the moment," Nizamudin, 28, who went under surgery to remove his appendix at the Mirwais Regional Hospital recently, said to Xinhua with joy.
Thanking China for building the hospital and expressing gratitude to the doctors and hospital staff for taking care of him, Nizamudin said that the Mirwais hospital is an everlasting gift to provide health services to the needy people.
