I don't know how to start this without omitting any details. Today, I had my brush with the Talibans and the Mujahiddin.
At 12:10 today a bomb exploded in the center of Qunduz in Afghanistan. The target was the former head of the Mujahiddin. In the blast, there were 18 bystanders who were deemed collateral damage, including a 6 year old girl.
The team responded well to the emergency. We were very quick in triaging the injured and prompt in the management of the cases. I saw a man with his left leg totally blasted off,and another with the gaping hole on his abdomen. Despite the severe injuries, we were lucky that we have a good team so there were no other persons died in our hospital.
The head of the Mujahiddin was however, unlucky. He was dead on arrival.
With all the commotions,there was an exodus of people outside the hospital - military, press, common people and other what nots. It was my first time to see tanks and men with AK47s, submachine guns and other artillery I couldn't even name.
I had to deal with the dead body and meet all the grieving "family". I had to have a shouting spree with the members of the special investigations division because they want to come inside the hospital. In the end, releasing the body has reduced the tension in the compound.
My adrenaline has gone down now and I just want to lay in bed and cover myself with a blanket. After all of these, thinking of the lives lost and living wasted, I am happy to have come to a conviction: I am proud to be here and give my best to the victims of these senselessness. There is already too much hurting in this world and me being here, even just providing a little bit of care and protection to the patients is enough.
I salute our brave men and women who risk their lives in helping other people. In the end, what we do defines us -- and that is all that matters.
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