Many Afghans have limited or no access to quality healthcare. Dr. Sakena Yacoobi founded a private hospital in Herat to offer quality medical care and health education to anyone who needs it with an emphasis on high quality care for women. People who can pay for this service help make up the difference for those who can only pay a little but everyone pays something. Poor women often cannot pay for surgeries which cost between $275 -$800 so need assistance with the cost.
The Herat hospital was founded to provide care to all including quality care for women's problems; it's secondary goal was to become a self-sufficient social entrepreneurship project. In its first year the hospital was 90% self sufficient. As the economy and security situation deteriorated more people came to the hospital unable to pay. We no longer have enough paying patients to cover the cost of those who cannot pay. For the short term, we need funds to help the very poor.
Those women who require emergency care, especially surgeries, will be able to get it without worry about finances, and the hospital will not have to take on a debt load in order to keep providing care to all, even those without the finances to pay.
Good health is crucial to the well being of individuals, families and societies. Illness or injury left untreated not only cripples a family but strains society which cannot get out of the cycle of ill health which hampers economic growth and social development. Ultimately, all Afghans will need to pay for health services. The goal of Dr, Yacoobi's hospital is to be self-sufficient while providing quality care to all.
