Emergency Mobile Unit (EMU) - Afghanistan Red Crescent Society: An evaluation report

The emergency medical unit (EMU) service was initiated in 2002 in three regions (Herat, Mazar and Kandahar); the service gradually expanded in two additional regions of the country (Kabul and Jalalabad). Currently it is implemented in five regions by ten teams (2 teams in each region). The purpose of the programme is to provide health services to population affected by natural disasters or disease outbreaks; and to provide health services in normal situation in remote areas where there are no health facilities.

With the changed socio-political scenario in Afghanistan, it was necessary to revisit the status of the services provided by the national society with its ‘new’ aspirations; hence was the idea to look into the EMU programme and effectiveness of the services in the current context. An evaluation of the EMU programme (presently supported by the Norwegian Red Cross) was carried out during November 2006.