Kabuli Palao is the Afghan national cuisine, which mainly consists of rice with carrots, raisins and lamb. This cuisine is a staple at any Afghan events, gatherings and big celebrations. Due to the cost and quality of the ingredients, this dish is considered as festive (Seddiq, 2021). Traditionally, this dish is positioned in the centre of the table, surrounded by other meals.

Seddiq (2021) recommends trying this dish with some garlic yogurt sauce and Afghan green sauce. This will counterbalance the dish's high fat content. Seddiq (2021) also recommends serving this dish with some naan and some Afghan salata.

Seddiq, M. (2021).  Kabuli pulao recipe – Afghan National Dish. Afghan Cooks. https://afghancooks.com/kabuli-pulao-recipe/

Afghanistan is a linguistically diverse nation, with more than 30 languages. However, the main languages are Pashto, which is spoken in eastern Iran, and Dari, which is Afghan Persian. Most European languages, including Swedish, are Indo-European languages, as are Dari and Pashto (Swedish Committee in Afghanistan [SCA], n.d.).

Afghanistan's official languages are Dari and Pashto, both written in Arabic letters. Additionally, there are numerous national languages. In places where most people speak a third national language in addition to the two official ones, there are also local official languages. Examples of these include the Turkic languages Uzbek, Turkmen or Balochi, Pashai, Nuristani, and Pamiri. There are also more commonly spoken dialects, such as Persian dialect Hazaragi, which is connected to Dari (SCA, n.d.).

Swedish Committee in Afghanistan, (n.d.). Languages in Afghanistan.  Retrieved August 25, 2024, from https://swedishcommittee.org/afghanistan/language/

The majority of Afghanistan's population identifies as Muslim, with Islam being the official religion. There are a few extremely tiny remnant populations of various religions, such as Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, and Baha'is. However, as a result of people fleeing sectarian tensions and conflict, the numbers of minority Muslim and non-Muslim communities have dramatically decreased during the past decades (Evason, 2019).

A Sunni Islamic Republic is created as the government of Afghanistan. As a result, there is tremendous social pressure to follow Sunni Islamic customs. The political, economic, and legal facets of an Afghan's life are typically governed by the moral principles found in Islamic teaching. However, it is important to note that not all Afghans are devout followers of Islam (Evason, 2019).

Evason, N. (2019). Afghan Culture: Religion. Cultural Atlas. https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/afghan-culture/afghan-culture-religion

For me, the most important aspect of competency standard 1.2 was to recognize the impact of refugee-like experiences. From this, I have improved my understanding of refugee background who have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, encountered terrible occurrences and losses and have gone through difficult experiences during their escape trips. Having learned about their situations and circumstances, I now feel that I am more capable of caring patients from refugee background, particularly from Afghanistan. This skill is useful to me in the workplace because I will be able to change my approach for assessment, diagnosis and treatment as appropriate and provide trauma-informed care, which include things like person-centered care and communication, upholding safe clinical environments, and understanding when to recommend trauma screening (Competency Standards Framework for Clinicians, 2019).

Competency Standards Framework for Clinicians. (2019). Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds. https://culturaldiversityhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf

One of the WHO social determinants that can have impact on refugees arriving from Afghanistan to Australia is social inclusion and non-discrimination (WHO, 2024). The majority of those who decide to immigrate as refugees are not allowed to go back to their own country. As a result, they will spend the remainder of their lives apart from their families and relatives. These people also cannot be successful in social relationships with other people in Australia due to a lack of English language proficiency, discrimination, lack of access to resources, lack of social support and valuable social roles. Unfortunately, this greatly affects the mental health of Afghan refugee and will have devastating consequences for them such as depression and anxiety (Rashki Kemmak et al.,2021).

World Health Organisation (2024). Social Determinants of Health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health#tab=tab_1 

Rashki Kemmak, A., Nargesi, S., & Saniee, N. (2021). Social Determinant of Mental Health in Immigrants and Refugees: A Systematic Review. Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 35, 196. https://doi.org/10.47176/mjiri.35.196

Amini, M.H., Hamdam, S.M. (2017). Medicinal Plants Used Traditionally in Guldara District of Kabul, Afghanistan. International Journal of Pharmacognosy and Chinese Medicine

 1(3): 000118.

https://medwinpublishers.com/IPCM/IPCM16000118.pdf

One common health concerns that Afghan refugees are likely to be present with is Malaria. The genus Plasmodium is the source of malaria, a parasitic protozoal infection that is spread by mosquitoes. Plasmodium falciparum is the most prevalent and hazardous of the five types of parasites that cause malaria in humans. Afghanistan is one of the refugee-source nations that have endemic malaria (Phillips & Francis, 2024).

One treatment available to refugees from Afghanistan for this condition is an antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) combined with tests using both thick and thin blood films. All falciparum malaria patients need to be referred right away to a doctor who specializes in treating malaria (Phillips & Francis, 2024).

Phillips, C., Francis, J. (2024). Malaria. Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide.

https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/malaria/