China-built hospital helps Afghan war victims in Kandahar(2)

The Taliban, who ruled the country before they were ousted by a U.S.-led invasion in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency, staging ambush and suicide attacks, killing combatants as well as civilians.

On Jan. 26, eight Afghan policemen and two detainees were killed and six cops and one captive were wounded when a police van was struck by a roadside bomb in Kandahar city.

"I am really thankful for the people and government of China for building this hospital. But I request more help in providing modern medial equipment and assisting the personnel to get training in treating patients particularly for people who got wounded in war and conflicts," said another patient, Hikmatullah Hazad.

"I think the hospital still needs equipment and ambulances to provide service to the people in Kandahar city with over half a million population."

Dr. Farhad who has been serving in the hospital since 1998 also eyes support from China. "Afghanistan and China are good friends. Chin has been providing donation for Afghanistan in several fields including health sector over the past one decade. We hope Chinese authorities help the Kandahar hospital by sending surgery physicians and help us with modern medical and surgery facilities in future," he said.

Besides China, the hospital has also been supported by the ICRC, a Japanese non-governmental agency and several European states over the past ten years. "We still need assistance and support to help treat people in this region with more than 6 million populations," said Farhad.

"The central heating system of main buildings has broken down and we hope Chinese help us repair the system as we have been facing difficulties during the freezing winters," he said.

More than 3,400 civilians lost their lives in conflicts in 2012 in Afghanistan, according to Afghan officials, while up to 3,021 civilians had been killed in 2011 in the central Asian country.