Courtesy Photo | An Iraqi army soldier with the 4th Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division,...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Matthew Vanderboegh
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
BAGHDAD – Iraqi security and coalition forces, working side by side with local physicians in Ghazaliyah, held a joint medical exercise in the northwest Baghdad neighborhood of Ghazaliyah, Oct. 13, 2008, to provide free healthcare to the local citizens, many of whom cannot afford medical treatment.
As word quickly spread of the free medical care and humanitarian assistance boxes available, more than 700 local citizens crowded the entrance to the clinic.
"This is a wonderful thing for the neighborhood and for the Iraqi people," said Dr. Hyder, the lead physician at the clinic. "I know that there are some people that are in desperate need for care."
For many assorted reasons, Iraqi citizens stood in line for hours to receive the free medical care.
"We are very grateful for the Iraqi army to provide this for us. I have not had any medical care for a very long time," said Abu Assad, a man who stood in line for over an hour to receive treatment for his back pain. "I own a small [convenience] shop and I cannot afford the medicines. There are many here who are in the same position."
This event marks the fourth time since its inception that the Iraqi army, coalition forces and local physicians have cooperated in conducting these events. Each time the actual presence of the coalition forces has diminished from security and command and control to now simply serving in an advisory role.
"The only things that we were responsible for were to reconnoiter the area and find a suitable place to set this up," said Capt. Michael Haith, a native of Yorktown, Va., and commander of Company C, 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). "The medical officer coordinated for the medicines and the civil affairs officer coordinated with the Iraqi contractor to supply the humanitarian aid boxes. The Iraqi army has provided the security and their medics are handing out the medicines."
An Iraqi contractor, working with Capt. Robert Laudoff, a civil affairs officer with the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, were able to provide five wheel chairs, and 150 boxes filled with cooking oil, soap, towels, tomato paste and cheese. There were also bags of rice, bulgur, beans and chick peas.
"We had an additional 200 boxes of hygiene items to give out," said Laudoff, a native of Green Bay, Wisc.
For the Iraqi army, 1st Lt. Zamir coordinated all security forces and facilitated the numerous issues the citizens that grew impatient for medical assistance.
"This is a very exciting thing we are doing. It is our job to put the welfare of the people first and these medical exercises are a wonderful way to show it," said Zamir. "They really help us out to build trust in the neighborhood. Normally they see the Iraqi army and the coalition forces providing security. In this setting they can see that we are more then patrolling and capturing criminals. We are also here to assist them in their daily lives."
At the end of the day, as the people begin spilling out of the clinic, many of them approached Haith noting how well the Iraqi army performed.
"I came into this knowing that there would be some setbacks," said Haith. "However everyone is receiving medical care and no one is leaving empty handed."
| Date Taken: | 10.13.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2008 12:44 |
| Story ID: | 25453 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 300 |
| Downloads: | 264 |
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