IOM has handed over life-saving medical equipment worth USD 52,000 to the Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital.

Funded by the government of Japan, the equipment can benefit 600 patients daily and will be used to carry out advanced laboratory testing and surgical procedures for mothers-to-be, newborns and children. The equipment will decrease costs, save time, minimize errors, and improve productivity in a hospital.

According to Afghanistan's Ministry of Health, about 1 in 50 women die while giving birth and the number of children who die before reaching the age of 5 is about 1 in 10. These are some of the worst levels worldwide.

The 350-bed Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital is a leading children's hospital in Afghanistan. In 2004, it established the country's first-ever center for cerebral palsy.

The donation is part of IOM's Return of Qualified Afghans (RQA) program that aims to contribute to nation-building and the rehabilitation of social services by facilitating the return of skilled Afghans from all over the world, with a focus on priority sectors including education and health.

Between 2002-¬2011, 1,365 Afghan experts living abroad, 200 of whom were women, returned to Afghanistan from more than 30 countries to participate in rebuilding their nation. IOM provided relocation assistance including a special support package for female experts and helped them to secure placements in key development-related positions within ministries, government institutions and the private sector.