Army, Iraqi doctors hold 'Grand Rounds' forums

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Soldiers from 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division from Ft. Riley, Kan., participate in a medical conference at the Yarnouk Medical Center in Baghdad province, Baghdad, Iraq, Aug. 25.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

08.31.2009

Story by Sgt. Dustin Roberts 

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs

BAGHDAD — Medical forums in northwest Baghdad's Yarmouk hospital bring U.S. Army and Iraqi medical experts together to keep the Iraqi medical world linked and informed.

Medical professionals from the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division — Baghdad helped the Iraqi Ministry of Health host the 'Grand Rounds' forums; designed to help prevent future medical problems and offer solutions to existing ones.

"Conferences such as these are important to the medical community of Baghdad because these conferences bring hospital doctors, local clinic doctors, and medical students together in an effort to share knowledge," said 1st Lt. Anthony Donley, of Beckley, W.Va. "These conferences contribute to a sense of teamwork and unity amongst the medical professionals in Baghdad."

Iraqi Ministry of Health representatives, such as Dr. Sitar, the director of Yarmouk hospital, lead a series of discussions for solutions to ongoing problems in the area, such as maintaining clinical standards, identifying symptoms, treating patients properly, cholera, pediatrics, rheumatoid arthritis and electrolyte imbalances.

Another significant issue facing the physicians and student doctors in Iraq is they have not had access to medical journals or text books to keep them in the know.

"They have not joined the medical revolution in things like trauma advances, the latest in cancer prevention and treatment or ultra-sound machines," said Capt. Kenneth Johnson, of Fort Riley, Kan., a brigade surgeon with 2nd HBCT. "These topics are of great interest to them and they are drinking through a fire hose these days to learn the medicine that has occurred since they were cut off from it."

Johnson said since the war and the change of government, medical personnel only voyaged from their house to their place of work and did not have the opportunity to hold forums with personnel from around Baghdad.

"The doctors are very knowledgeable and very hungry to learn," said Capt. Gary Grassi, of Louisville, Ky., 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, MND-B. "This is a tremendous opportunity to share medical knowledge with our Iraqi medical counterparts."

Goals of keeping the Iraqi medical realm informed and in the loop after U.S. Forces leave Iraq have also been put in place.

"The design of the program is such that it will continue indefinitely," Johnson said. "We have our eyes to the future of possibly linking up hospitals in Baghdad with medical schools in the U.S. to continue the relationship, but the end state of this is for the Iraqis to do this without support."

• Date Taken: 08.31.2009
• Date Posted: 08.31.2009 10:52
• Story ID: 38170
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ