Govt’s laxity hurts more than my disability’

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Hussain, a former Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier who lost both of his legs in a roadside bombing, is disappointed and complains the government has ignored him.

A resident of Neili city, the capital of central Daikundi province, Hussain had served for 10 years in the Afghan army as a soldier in Helmand, Kunduz, Logar and Ghazni provinces.

However, three years ago he lost both legs in a roadside bombing that ripped through their vehicle in Kajran district of Daikundi. He is no longer able to stand or sit and he is helped by his 9-year-old son in his movements. Hussain’s disappointment and anger represents his unknown future. He complains regarding the government’s negligence about his situation.

“I am a disabled and can’t work too much, now I work as a vendor but only for one hour a day. I can hardly meet my four-member family’s needs with an investment of 5,000 afghanis,” he said.

Seriously affected by a hard life due to poverty, Husssain said: “I am living in a rented house and have no money to treat myself. I have several times approached the Ministry of Defense to provide me medical treatment but no one cared.”

He added he was ready to continue his job as a soldier if the government facilitated his treatment. Brig. Gen. Mohammad Radminsh, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), told Pajhwok: “Whenever an ANA soldier is wounded, he is shifted to the 400-bed (military) hospital for treatment.”

“But if his wounds are serious, we contact countries we whom we have contracts, if the wound is treatable then we transfer the patient to that country.” About Hussian, he said the loss of both legs might not be treatable, but he could visit the military hospital if he was treatable because he would definitely receive the service.