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20 April 2015 – WHO has supported the establishment of two prefabricated clinics in Ameriyt Al-Fallujah and Al-Nakheeb districts in Al-Anbar governorate, west of Iraq. These clinics were officially opened on 18 April 2015 and will be managed by United Iraqi Medical Society (UIMS), a medical nongovernmental organization and WHO implementing partner.
WHO is supporting UIMS with the delivery of essential medicines and other health technologies as a start-up stock. Items delivered include 13 different types of medicines and 4 interagency emergency health kits sufficient to cover approximately 100 000 people for the next 3 months.
Taking stock of reported shortages and increased demands, WHO has shipped a number of medicines and health technologies to health facilities serving internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in different governorates.
In Suleimaniya on 30 March 2015, WHO delivered two urgently requested items: 1) glucose water serving an average of 500 patients for approximately 4 months; and 2) normal saline sufficient for an average of 850 patients for 17 days to the maternity teaching hospital. The number of IDPs and refugee patients received by the hospital in January and February 2015 was 2463 and 2707, respectively.
“WHO must respond to the request made by the Ministry of Health of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Directorate of Preventive Health, in order to save lives,” Dr Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative in Iraq said. He further noted that “the increased number of IDPs and refugee patients seeking medical care continues to burden the already exhausted health facilities in this governorate. Without urgent funding support WHO and health partners cannot meet these needs; the shortage of medicines and supplies will increase, exacebating the impact of the emergency on the health of over 5 million people already in need”.
In Duhok on 31 March, WHO delivered to the Duhok Directorate of Health 5 pallets of medicines and health technologies containing 10 urgently requested items, such as medicines to treat chronic diseases, especially hypertension, diabetes and asthma. The supplies are sufficient to treat approximately 15 000 patients for 2 to 3 months based on the caseload and severity of conditions. The need to procure and distribute essential medicines throughout Iraq is vital for the provision of health services to IDPs, refugees and host communities. WHO and health partners are urgently appealing for US $133 million.
Related links
WHO steps up response to growing health needs of internally displaced persons in Anbar
For further information, please contact:
Ms Ajyal Sultany
Communications Officer
WHO Iraq Office
sultanya@who.int
+964 7510 101 469
Ms Pauline Ajello
Communications and Donor Relations
WHO Iraq Office
ajellopa@who.int
+964 7809 288 618