This week’s briefs — • “Ministry of Health: Protecting

This week’s briefs: • “Ministry of Health: Protecting Children – Preventing Disease” Campaign posters hit the streets I I r ra a q q M M i i n ni i s st t r r y y o of f H H e ea al l t t h h W W e ee ek k l l y y U U p pd d a at t e e 1 M MO OH H- -O OC CP PA A H He ea al lt th h T Te ea am m C Cu ur rr re en nt t P Po ol li ic ci ie es s a an nd d I In ni it ti ia at ti iv ve es s, , V Vo ol l. . 6 6 W We ed dn ne es sd da ay y, , J Ju ul ly y 1 16 6, , 2 20 00 03 3 policy of the former regime in selection of medical residents for specialty training. relevant factual information on any potential hazard to civilians as a result of looting at the site. There is no neurosurgeon in the north. Medical equipment needs upgrade and repair. Masood Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, in a meeting with the Senior Advisor, called for continued attention to the medical challenges and requirements of the KDP region. Governing Council established Both Kurdistan regions, though funded separately, are represented on the Ministry of Health management team. Iraq National Vaccination Day For Monday for National Vaccination Day. Iraq National Vaccination Day Ministry of Health – Protecting Children – Preventing Disease Jul 22, Aug 21, Sep 22, Oct 22, Nov 22, Dec 22 (Photo by: Capt. George Guzcza) Children • 2500 tons in less than 50 days: This week more than 1000 tons of pharmaceuticals were delivered to regions throughout Iraq and to New Iraqi Army recruiting stations. These Sunday, the Iraq Governing Council - the principal body of the Iraqi interim administration called for in UN Resolution 1483 - was established. The Governing Council will be involved in all significant decisions including naming the Minister of Health in the next few months. The Governing Council will bring together, for the first time in Iraq’s history, a balanced representative group of political leaders to will represent the diversity of Iraq internationally. Japanese delegates discuss included both antibiotics and IV fluids, and bring the total since May to over 2500 tons of pharmaceutical deliveries in 49 days! Complaints at MOH decline Complaints have declined from 165 to only 10 per day. Tuesday was historically complaint day at the Ministry of Health. Usually over 160 complaints were heard from staff and the public. A complaint/problem solving desk was started 2 weeks ago and 95% of complaints are handled by the desk. Senior Advisory Team visits Kurdistan region Tuesday the Ministry of Health will partner with healthcare providers across Iraq to for the second National Vaccination Day for children this year. We expect it to be much bigger than the one last month as primary health care clinics continue to come back on line and improve. The goal of the campaign is to vaccinate as many young children as possible, (infants through five years of age), during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at primary care facilities throughout the country. The vaccines are essential to prevent measles, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, severe child tuberculosis, Hepatitis-B and polio. Parents are encouraged to take their young children and vaccination records to any primary healthcare facility in the county on July 22nd. Vaccinations will be provided free of charge. The first National Vaccination Day was held on June 22nd launched the monthly childhood immunization program. MOH interviews Al Tuwaitha upgrade possibilities Senior Advisor met with a delegation representing the government of Japan to discuss possibilities for upgrades, including medical equipment, to one or more of the 13 hospitals built by the Japanese in Iraq in the 1980’s. P Project Hope factfinding The MOH hosted a visit of Ambassador Tahir-Kheli, Special Assistant to the President, Anne Heiligenstein, Dr.John Howe III, President and CEO of Project Hope to gather information about children’s health care resources in Iraq. Iraqi medical teams support new Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK): Hospitals and clinics are operating at greater than pre-war levels. Malaria is being controlled and all vaccines are available. Shortages exist in certain drugs, which are being corrected. Typical systemic problems exist related to the deterioration and lack of medical equipment. Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP): Medical specialists are in short supply in the Kurdish regions due to discriminatory army residents The Ministry of Health has begun medical exams of more than 4,000 people living in villages near the Al Tuwaitha nuclear power plant. WHO and UNICEF and the local hospital are supporting the effort to gather all Wednesday, Medical teams under US supervision manned and partially equipped three recruiting stations in Mosul, Baghdad and Basrah in direct support of the New Iraqi Army begin processing new recruits at the Kirkush training center. Iraqi MOH medical teams of doctors, nurses and medics participated in the FAA sponsored Mass Casualty Exercise at the Baghdad International Airport July 12th. An Iraqi medical staff with three ambulances will man the airport clinic full time. US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Iraq National Nurses Group Health addresses Iraqi physicians I I r ra a q q M M i i n ni i s st t r r y y o of f H H e ea al l t t h h W W e ee ek k l l y y U U p pd d a at t e e 2 M MO OH H- -O OC CP PA A H He ea al lt th h T Te ea am m C Cu ur rr re en nt t P Po ol li ic ci ie es s a an nd d I In ni it ti ia at ti iv ve es s, , V Vo ol l. . 6 6 W We ed dn ne es sd da ay y, , J Ju ul ly y 1 16 6, , 2 20 00 03 3 Medical teams participate in exercise center for health policy and decision making in this country.” recommendations, which I will take back to the United States to act upon. I am grateful for your “I also want to express my deep hospitality and I look forward to this gratitude for out other international evening with you. Thank you. ” partners in this effort, the World Health Organization, the International First leadership conference for Committee for the Red Cross-Red Crescent and the many other Non- governmental Organizations, who have contributed so much over the past several months and over the pas decade. I recognize that many of you have been here for a long time, independent of politics in order to serve the Iraqi people, and I thank you for your tireless service; and I thank you for the indispensable support you have provided to meet critical needs in the period since the conflict ended.” “My thanks extend to those with whom I serve the military medical professionals from the U.S. Armed Forces. You have again performed in a manner that represents the finest values and skills of military officers.” “Tonight, we do not gather here as representatives of this nationality or that organization. Instead, we gather as colleagues in the healing profession. Health care touches the lives of all citizens—everywhere. Our common purpose to serve our fellow man is independent of our ethnic heritage, our religion, or our gender; and we celebrate this international bond, and we dedicate our efforts to work even more closely together toward achieving our shared objectives: to rebuild this country’s health system with priorities set by the superb Iraqi medical community; to focus on existing medial systems to to that an to stay an help as long as you need us and not one day longer.” “It is my hope that the relationships we build here will last a lifetime. That we can gather again here next year – look back with pride on what we have accomplished together and to continue to pursue the long-term goals of the Iraqi medical leadership.” “Again, I am honoured to be here with you who have sacrificed so much. I thank you for your ideas and BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Dr. William Winkewerder, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health, spoke to Iraqi physicians at a dinner here Wednesday night. His comments follow: “Thank you for coming together this evening to honor medical professionals from Iraq.” “First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for your kindness and thoughtfulness during my brief time with you this week and I need to express my appreciation for having this opportunity to be among you, who have persevered to provide medical care to the citizens on this wonderful country despite great hardship, lack of resources and the tyranny of a corrupt dictator. Your lifesaving work in difficult circumstances has been a gift to the people you serve.” “For all of us in the room who are not Iraqi citizens, we have dedicated ourselves to the proposition that you will again have the right of free people everywhere: the right of self-government. It is our responsibility and our commitment to help you. “ “The announcement by Ambassador Bremer to establish an Iraqi governing council is an important first step in meeting that commitment and I am pleased that the council will soon be selecting a Minister of Health to lead the reconstruction of your health system.” “I want to thank Mr. Jim Haveman for his leadership as the Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Health. In less than a month, the Ministry of Health Building reconstruction will be complete and will again serve as the Nurses from across Iraq will converge at the Baghdad Convention Center Tuesday for a two-day leadership conference to discuss how to “rebuild” nursing careers in the country. The Iraq National Nurses Group delegates and experts from throughout the country discussed major developmental needs for the nursing profession. The agenda had significant focus on continuing education, including “How to educate and train current nurses in new system,” as well as a presentation about the National Library of Nursing and Nursing Research by Dr. Ikbal Ghanem, Director General for Public Health and Education at the Ministry of Health. Events Calendar: July 17th -- Governorate Director Generals Meet at the MOH Bldg. July 20th – Opening Ceremony for the New Saydia Clinic at 10:00 a.m. July 22nd -- Iraq National Vaccination Day July 31st -- 11:00 a.m. NGO-MOH Meeting on Health at the MOH building Please e-mail questions or input to: I I r ra a q q M M i i n ni i s st t r r y y o of f H H e ea al l t t h h W W e ee ek k l l y y U U p pd d a at t e e 3 M MO OH H- -O OC CP PA A H He ea al lt th h T Te ea am m C Cu ur rr re en nt t P Po ol li ic ci ie es s a an nd d I In ni it ti ia at ti iv ve es s, , V Vo ol l. . 6 6 W We ed dn ne es sd da ay y, , J Ju ul ly y 1 16 6, , 2 20 00 03 3 andersondm@orha.centcom.mil