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Mehtar Lam contracts out TB clinic

  • Published
  • By Capt. Heather Kekic
  • Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan --  A three hundred thousand dollar contract for the Mehtar Lam Tuberculosis clinic was signed between Noori Construction Company and the Provincial Reconstruction Team Aug. 9 at Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan.

The TB clinic is the first of its kind for Mehtar Lam; the closest existing TB clinic is in Jalalabad, according to Dr. Wododullah Noori, Mehtar Lam Director of Public Health.

"The people of Laghman have economical problems,' said Dr. Noori. "They may know they have TB but couldn't afford to take care of themselves. They would have to travel to Jalalabad."

When this project is complete, it will increase the level of care the patients will receive and decrease the amount of time patients would otherwise have to travel to receive treatment.

"Health is very important in the chain of life. When people have good health it means we can focus on progress in a different direction for example social affairs and reconstruction," said Dr. Noori. "The clinic will reduce the spread of infectious TB and improve the quality of health throughout the province."

With the completion of this clinic, the health services of the province will now be consolidated in the city of Mehtar Lam.

"This clinic is important for the health of this region," said Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Ricci, Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team commander. "The PRT is here to provide reconstruction assistance at the request of the government. The PRT receives its guidance from the Governor, the Provincial Development Committee and the Provincial Council."

Construction will begin within seven days of the contract signing and will be required to be completed within 180 days.

The contract for the TB clinic was bid on during a bidder's conference held April 10 at Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam.

"I would like to thank the PRT for helping us build this clinic in Laghman," said Dr. Noori. "The TB programs we had in the past were temporary, but this new clinic will be reliable and will stay here forever which is very good for the people of Laghman."