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Basic medical care for Iraqi citizens

Photo By Staff Sgt. Brian Speach | Iraqi family leaves the Primary Health Center Homadat in Madush, Iraq after receiving...... read more read more

MOSUL, IRAQ

06.28.2006

Courtesy Story

138th Public Affairs Detachment

MOSULl, Iraq (June 26, 2006) --As Coalition Forces help rebuild Iraq, basic medical care, and medical supplies for Iraqi people is still an on-going concern. 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Striker Brigade Combat Team addresses this issue on a regular basis.

Helping the Iraqi people take care of basic medical issues is a concern for coalition forces to help stop the spread of disease and to get residents to understand that being healthy is important.

The battalion delivered much needed medical supplies to the Primary Health Center in Homadat, Bodush, Iraq.

"This is a very small amount of what they need," said Capt. Matthew Fargo of Uba City, Calif., medical officer,1st Battalion 17th Inf. Rgt., 172nd SBCT. "The Ministry of Health is doing all they can as well as Coalition Forces. This is one of the bigger and better clinics in Iraq. People travel from as far as Tal Afar to receive care. That shows how desperate the need for more clinics has become."

The Primary Health clinic has eight doctors and four dentists. They are open six days a week and have two shifts. The clinic is general practice and treats newborns to the elderly. On average 600 patients a month are seen and treated. The most common condition treated is shortness of breath due to the quality of air.

"Doctors are very limited in Iraq, so security is a big concern. We are a target of the insurgents because of the money we make and our families our targeted too," said a doctor at the clinic who asked not to be identified. "I stay here five to six days a week for my safety. All of the specialist doctors have left Iraq to other countries. They left because of threats on their lives and money they will be paid in other countries."

The delivery of medicine to the clinic was a welcome site to the doctor. He replenished his shelves and was able to continue to see the women and children that were there for care.

"Children under the age of 12 are seen for free and receive free medicine. Those over the age of 12 are charged 5000 Dinar or 50 cents," he said. "Every time U.S forces deliver medications it is a welcome relief. The Ministry of Health does what it can, but it is very limited in resources since the war. Any extras we get from the U.S. are greatly welcome and appreciated."

The Ministry of Health has a very limited budget. The doctors that serve in the Iraqi Army receive more pay than the doctors employed by the Ministry of Health. The medications that are purchased by the ministry come from various countries that surround Iraq. The biggest suppliers of medicine are China, England, and Japan. The other obstacle that the Ministry faces is the supply of medical equipment. After the war most hospitals and clinics in Iraq were looted leaving them with no equipment to operate with.

"We still have a couple hurdles in front of us but we are about 65 percent of the way there," said Fargo. "Medical care should be a non-issue for us in the near future."