Photo By Sgt. Maj. Jason Stadel | A feast of lamb and rice was served to celebrate the opening of the Maderiyah health...... read more read more
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Sgt. Jason Stadel
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Residents of Maderiyah are the latest Iraqi citizens to see progress in their community. On Jan. 3, a medical clinic opened in an area that had not seen a doctor since Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2003.
For months, Maderiyah was an insurgent stronghold; the people had little hope, only fear, one local resident said. The work of U.S. and Iraqi soldiers and the Concerned Local Citizens program has led to a safer community with much less extremist influence.
"This is great. I can't explain in words what this means to me. I'm so happy," said Saadin San Ali, a member of the Maderiyah CLCs. "We are all proud to have this clinic and we are proud to be from this community."
Prior to the clinic, there was no medical treatment facility easily accessible to residents. The civil affairs team for 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, planned and worked for months to open the clinic. The civil affairs team leader, Capt. Kenneth Guglielmina, said the Maderiyah residents' spirits have risen since the improvements happened.
"The people get a positive outlook when they see change," Guglielmina said.
The clinic will be open twice a week. The primary caregiver will be a certified medical assistant who lives in Al Thuar, outside Maderiyah. The caregiver will also be on call in case of emergency situations.
Maj. David Underwood, commander, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Inf. Div., said the residents' ability to begin a CLC program, work with U.S. Soldiers and set aside secular differences to work with the Iraqi army, has helped rebuild the infrastructure in Maderiyah.
Other improvements include the completion of a newly-paved main road that at one time was littered with improvised explosive devices.
A well was also dug to supply fresh water to the clinic.
"Clean drinking water is in the top three things Iraqis want and need and it fosters good public health," said Capt. Trista Mustaine, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. embedded provincial reconstruction team, public health officer.
"We said the clinic has to have water but the whole village needs water so we decided to build a big well," she said.
Mustaine said the successful building of the Maderiyah clinic, including using local contractors and digging a working well, will be the model for other Iraqi communities that are in need of health care.
The Maderiyah residents hope the clinic grows to include more staff and longer hours, but in the meantime they are happy to have hope for the future. "Today was the first time I've smiled in five years," said Sheikh A'amash Kadhuma, a CLC commander in the al Rasheed region.
| Date Taken: | 01.07.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 01.07.2008 10:58 |
| Story ID: | 15213 |
| Location: | ISKANDARIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 275 |
| Downloads: | 254 |
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