Photo By Staff Sgt. James Hunter | An Iraqi dentist assess an Iraqi man's teeth during a medical operation, Jan. 16, at...... read more read more
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By Sgt. James P. Hunter
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Public Affairs
BAGHDAD —When four sheiks from al Swaib in central Baghdad got together during a council meeting in November they came to the conclusion that the people, especially the children, in their area needed vaccinations and medical care.
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), responded when they held a medical operation at the al Swaib school, Jan. 16.
However, this wasn't just a U.S. ran operation. Iraqi army soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division pulled outer security and controlled the crowd; while Iraqi doctors, physicians, nurses, pharmacists and a dentist, worked side-by-side with their American counterparts to meet the needs of the Iraqi citizens.
Nearly 300 children and 150 Iraqi adults were seen by the doctors that day, said McComb, Miss. native, Capt. Melvin Jackson, civil affairs officer, 1st Bn., 320th FA.
There is only one physician in the area available to react to the peoples needs: Dr. Abass, said Jackson. He currently does not have a working staff, money or resources to fully aid his fellow citizens.
Though Dr. Abass is regarded as "the town hero," because of his professionalism and demeanor to aid his Iraqi friends and neighbors, he can only do so much and help is needed, according to Miami native, Sgt. Jason Torres, a medic with the personnel security detachment platoon, 1st Bn., 320th FA.
Jackson remembered a specific incident where a young child, who must have been no more than six years old, had an ear infection.
"Back in the states if we had an ear infection we go see the local doctor and get the necessary antibiotics or medication to take care of it," Jackson said. "This kid had what I consider a mild ear infection, but because it was untreated or he just didn't have the access to a local doctor or medicine to treat it he became very dizzy and disoriented and it messed up his inner equilibrium."
The boy was eventually seen by a local doctor, taken to the Abu Ghraib hospital outside the area and treated.
"Something mild became worse than it originally was, and for that reason they need local health care to deal with minor issues, cuts, abrasions, flu before it turns into something major like pneumonia, severe ear infection or bronchitis," Jackson continued.
Jackson hopes the ministry of health recognizes Dr. Abass' clinic as a health care center and provide the clinic with health care personnel to assist the Iraqi doctor in treating the local nationals in the area, both medically and pharmaceutically.
These are all hopes for a better future, today was simply a chance for the Iraqi and U.S. physicians to reach out to the locals in al Swaib.
"... It highlights Iraqis helping Iraqis. You have the Iraqi army securing the event. You've got local national nurses and doctors giving back to the community. Ultimately, the long term effect of this is to get Iraq to sustain themselves, and this is a small step towards that," Jackson said.
On this day, the physicians saw everything from upper respiratory infections to tooth aches.
Torres, who worked with Dr. Abass during the MEDOP, said, "I personally feel this builds a better relationship between us and the Iraqis; especially when we talk about the medical field, we get to find out what our strength and weaknesses are. Most importantly it benefits the Iraqi people; they get the medical attention they need."
| Date Taken: | 01.23.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2008 14:08 |
| Story ID: | 15713 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 376 |
| Downloads: | 364 |
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