A strong primary health care system will bring medical access to thousands of Iraqis who cannot afford hospital care—a relief to over burdened and over worked hospital staff—allowing hospitals adequate time to treat seriously ill patients. However, in the Thi Qar Governate, there exists a severe lack of medical, laboratory, and refrigeration equipment, an insufficient supply of drugs, and lack of adequately trained health professionals. This situation is creating enormous pressure on the primary care system and health care professionals in the region.
Primary health care centers in Southern Iraq are filled with endless lines of desperate mothers, crying children, and listless patients who have no privacy or space to sit in the crowded quarters, owing to rampant looting that left the centers bereft of furniture and equipment.
International Medical Corps Nassariyah is currently undertaking a rehabilitation of all of Thi Qar’s 33 primary health care centers, including the 30 subunits in rural areas where virtually no other health services are available.
Sanctions imposed during the previous regime left a void of information exchange and technology, leaving many nurses and medical assistants without proper training and placing the burden completely on the few doctors available at each primary health center.
In certain areas of Thi Qar, there is only one physician for every 50,000 people. Doctors treat 200 to 300 patients daily, many of whom have to return every few days to see if certain drugs or laboratory tests are available. Doctors affirm the monthly supply of medication is never quite enough to meet public demand, especially the overwhelming need for antibiotics in these clinics and hospitals.
International Medical Corps’ Dr. Boris Budosan and Director of Nassariyah Primary Health Care Dr. Sadiq Musa are currently organizing training for doctors, nurses, and medical assistants from all 33 primary health care centers in Thi Qar with the most up to date medical information available, tailored to fit the needs of the population.
“Our training is motivating health care professionals across the board—they are eager to learn and widen the scope of their abilities to treat their patients,” Dr. Sadiq said. “We are also training the community how to utilize their own health services.”
In addition to comprehensive training, the International Medical Corps Nasssariyah team is providing medical, laboratory, and refrigeration equipment as well as distributing basic patient evaluation equipment like stethoscopes to Thi Qar primary health care centers.
“At least 80 to 90 percent of health problems in the community can be solved at the primary health care level,” stated Dr. Boris. “International Medical Corps’ intervention will provide better access to health care services.”
As primary health care is more cost effective, patients are currently charged 250 dinars (less then a dollar) for check up, medicine, and lab tests if they are needed. The primary factor inhibiting local populations from utilizing this affordable care has been public perception that patients would receive higher quality care at a hospital. A shortage of primary health care medicine, equipment, and poorly qualified personnel has further exacerbated the situation. This situation results in overcrowding at most of the general hospitals, whose wards and waiting rooms become overwhelmed by cases of respiratory and viral infections, chronic disease management, diarrhea, and headaches—while patients with acute illness are left waiting long hours sitting in hospital corridors or wherever they find space to rest.
International Medical Corps currently has plans to rehabilitate the Nassariyah General Hospital out patient clinic which, operating along the same lines as a primary health care center, will further reduce the burden on specialized hospital departments, allowing for maximum quality and efficiency of health care services.
“International Medical Corps’ work is truly making a difference by changing the health community…it’s not like painting a building and seeing a surface change. Their work is bringing real changes and helping the Iraqi people,” Dr. Sadiq concluded.