Ambassador of Afghanistan Calls on Philadelphia for
Emergency Healthcare Support
IP Links
11/17/2004
International House and Carelift International
hosted His Excellency Said Tayeb Jawad, Ambassador of Afghanistan
to the United States, and his wife, Mrs. Shamim Jawad in Philadelphia
on Monday to talk about the healthcare situation in their country
and present a symposium called “The Current Healthcare
Situation in Afghanistan.” The event was the first in
a two-day visit intended to generate cultural and economic links
between Afghanistan and the Philadelphia Region through International
House’s Ambassador Program.
After almost three decades of war and destruction accompanied
by severe droughts, Afghanistan has the world’s worst
health indicators. Afghans have a life expectancy of 35 years,
among the lowest in the world. The infant mortality rate is
165 per 1,000 births, and one out of every four children dies
before reaching the age of 5. Although access to healthcare
for women has relatively improved, it is still severely restricted
in rural areas. Seventy five percent of the population does
not have access to safe drinking water, and Afghanistan is among
one of the six remaining countries in the world where polio,
like landmines, still kills and maims many children every day.
The Embassy of Afghanistan has identified Philadelphia’s
Carelift International to work in cooperation to improve their
dire healthcare situation.
“Carelift has the world’s largest
medical relief supply network, which we have been successful
in leveraging to provide healthier lives to people in 30 developing
countries,” said Jeffrey Gloss, Co-founder and CEO of
Carelift International. “We are honored that the Ambassador
of Afghanistan has made us his choice to lead the mission of
bringing better healthcare services to the Afghani people. We
have seen what access to medical training and machines can do
to a village or small town in a developing country. Everyone
deserves proper healthcare, and with the support of the Philadelphia
community, we will bring it to Afghanistan.”
The symposium is the most recent in a series offered
by International House of Philadelphia, as part of their Ambassador
Program, which provides the general public a forum to learn
about the culture of a selected Ambassador’s country and
business leaders the opportunity to develop ties beyond Philadelphia.
“We are so pleased to have the Ambassador
and Mrs. Jawad here in Philadelphia,” said Oliver St.
Clair Franklin, President and CEO of International House. “Learning
about the healthcare crisis in Afghanistan clearly fits within
our mission of promoting global understanding through personal
connections. We are thrilled to be partnering with Carelift
International to present this portion of our Ambassador Program
and hope this event will be the beginning of a mutually beneficial
partnership for all involved.”
During his second day in Philadelphia, the Ambassador,
with assistance from International House of Philadelphia and
the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, made presentations
on economic growth initiatives, developing markets, trade and
investment opportunities in Afghanistan to targeted Regional
business leaders.
About Carelift International:
Carelift International secures new and used equipment,
drugs, and supplies from U.S. health institutions and manufacturers
and redistributes them to health care facilities in need around
the world. This process enables doctors and nurses worldwide
to access modern, life-saving tools and offers a cost-effective
outlet for hospitals and corporations to upgrade their own inventories,
thereby minimizing waste sent to landfills. Carelift also provides
medical education and technical training, including a region-specific,
comprehensive biomedical waste program for health care professionals
and biomedical technicians. These complimentary programs strengthen
a country’s overall health status by creating sustainable
improvements in medical and health education systems. For more
information about Carelift International, visit .
