Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan -- Children are receiving immunization shots, women now have access to obstetric care, and a burn victim successfully underwent surgery to graft skin from other parts of her body to repair burned facial tissue. These are just a few examples of the medical treatment provided to the Afghan people by the new Jordanian hospital established in January with American assistance in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Since the grand opening of the 50-bed hospital on January 8, the staff has provided outpatient care to more than 7,300 patients. Two-thirds of these patients were women and children. The hospital has also admitted over 70 patients for inpatient care, and performed more than 65 surgeries.

The Jordanian military is responsible for the staffing, operations, and security of the hospital, while the U.S. military provides logistical support, including the provision of up to 7,500 different medical supplies. Prior to the opening of the hospital, a U.S. Special Forces team provided security training for the Jordanian Special forces team responsible for guarding the hospital.

According to Lt. Col. Ronald Smith, an American surgeon from the 10th Mountain Division of New York who is currently deployed to Afghanistan, the Jordanian hospital is a clean, well-equipped medical facility with extensive surgical and medical expertise. The hospital, which was constructed in only ten days, is housed in tents.

Although the staff numbers less than 200, the hospital has provided an unprecedented quality of medical care to the Afghan people, Smith said. The all-male staff of 27 doctors, 45 nurses and some 45 medics have expertise in a variety of fields, including preventive medicine, primary care, emergency medicine, cardiology, internal medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, dermatology, gastroenterology, rheumatology, orthopedics and urology.

The hospital staff is capable of performing major and minor surgeries. Some of the types of surgery available are neurosurgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, oral-maxillofacial surgery and general surgery.

The hospital facilities include four ambulances, five wards, a water purification system, a laundry, radiology, a pharmacy, a blood unit, and a casting unit. The staff hopes to expand the number of beds from 50 to 70 in the near future.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)