During his visit to the Norwegian Provincial Protection Team (PRT) in Maymana this week, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store was briefed by the Norwegian military medical officer on the situation of a 10-year-old girl, Naroz Gulandeer, who is suffering from life-threatening burns.

Naroz has been treated at the provincial hospital in Maymana, where a Norwegian medical team has assisted local medical personnel. However, her burns are so severe that special treatment is required to save her life. Such treatment is not available in Afghanistan, and a Norwegian hospital has offered to treat Naroz in Norway.

Foreign Minister Store has spoken with Naroz’ family and offered bring her to Norway for treatment at Haukeland Hospital in Bergen. The family has accepted the offer, and Naroz and her father are on their way to Norway today on board Foreign Minister Støre’s plane. The patient will be accompanied by a medical team from the Norwegian Defence Force. The plane will leave Kabul Friday afternoon (13:00 CET) and fly directly to Bergen, where the girl will be taken to Haukeland Hospital.

Norway will collaborate with the International Red Cross on funding a project to deal with the general problem of burns in Afghanistan, which in particular affects women and children. The project will put emphasis on prevention and capacity-building.

- I wish to express solidarity with Afghanistan. By helping Naroz, we wish to focus on and gain support for an international programme headed by the WHO aimed at reducing deaths and injuries from burns, which is a particular problem in developing countries,” said Foreign Minister Støre.