UN peacekeeping missions have not only a dangerous warfare component, but also a healthcare hazard to look into. Neglecting the health hazards at the site; is asking to bring serious problems back home.
During the induction training sessions in UNAMA – Afghanistan – mission, one of the veterans told me:
– “The first thing you have to buy at the souvenir shop is a couple of shemaghs; the afghan scarfs – and wear it all the time when you’re outside.”
– “Yes, the driving test inspector told me to put it over the shoulders, when driving in Kabul, to hide the military rank. – Said I.
– “Yes, of course; and it has many other useful purposes. It’s very effective to put pressure on a bleeding wound; or to be used as a tourniquet; as a towel; as a water filter, as a pillow, as an improvised carry bag; even as defense told, if you know how to use a sling; etc. However, here in Kabul, the most relevant use of it is to cover your airways; you should be aware that the air in Kabul has a lot of floating dust and about 20% of that dust is pulverized human excrements.”
– “Sorry, I didn’t understand, …, did you just say that one fifth of the dust that I see covering everything is human shit?! – Said I, unbelieving that veterans’ words.
– “Affirmative mate! Kabul City has about two million people, but there’s no public sewer system in place. In fact, most houses don’t have a WC; they use a public toilet. The human excrement is collected from the public toilet, or the larger houses’ septic tanks, by specialized tank trucks, which carry their content to the outskirts of town and dump it somewhere on the ground. Then comes the Summer heat and all that organic material dries and becomes mixed with hearth; the strong winds turns it into dust tempests and there you have it … human shit all over the place. The Fins made a study on that matter and they’ve realized that, after one year of being in Kabul, you return home with 200 grams of dust in your lungs. That’s the equivalent of two Twix bars … and they’re not made of chocolate! But don´t worry, it will all come out in time … eventually!”
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