International Medical Corps is working to rapidly scale up and expand our existing relief efforts as military operations intensify in and around Fallujah and Makhmour. We’re also planning for increased needs in the wake of potential military operations to liberate Mosul, which could displace thousands more.
Since the government of Iraq began a military offensive on May 23rd to retake the city from ISIL, more than 85,300 civilians have fled Fallujah and surrounding areas. Reports indicate that an additional three million people are still living under ISIL control throughout Iraq. Since 2014, more than three million Iraqis have fled their homes. While simultaneously coping with the impact of conflict inside the country, Iraq is also hosting more than 250,000 refugees from Syria.
International Medical Corps is currently providing health services in Anbar, Baghdad, Diyala, Dohuk, Erbil, Ninewa, and Salah al-Din Governorates. In the coming days we plan to scale up existing integrated health services, including primary health care, mental health, gender-based violence prevention and treatment, and protection services to meet the rapidly growing needs of people who are newly displaced. As access and resources increase, we plan to deploy mobile health teams to areas where newly displaced persons are in need of first-line services.
We have been providing services in Iraq since war began in 2003. Last year alone we provided more than 336,000 health consultations across six internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, four refugee camps, and in host communities where needs are most acute. Our work is focused on providing health services – as well as training to build capacity so that all vulnerable populations, including refugees, displaced families, and host communities have access to the services they need most.