Iraq: Iraqi Red Crescent mobilizes 500 paramedics in response to protests
The Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) deployed today more than 500 Emergency First Aid experts to all Iraq governorates were demonstrators have taken to the streets. Paramedics have been providing first aid and supporting the medical staff inside the hospitals in Baghdad, Babel, Karbala, Wasit, Diwaniya Samawa, Misan, Thi-Qar and Basra.
In Baghdad, paramedics transported dozens of injured from Al-Tahrir Square to nearby hospitals. IRCS teams provided first aid services on site to patients as well. “Since yesterday evening, IRCS paramedics managed to transport dozens of injured people to hospitals,” said Dr. Ali Majid, Director of Health Department at IRCS. “Our teams continue helping the medical staff inside the hospitals in managing the injured. We are providing first aid services all either at demonstrations sites or inside hospitals.”
“We have been transporting dozens of injured in our ambulances to Sheikh Zayed Hospital and the medical city in Baghdad. We are currently at Al-Tahiri square on high alert and ready to intervene if needed,” says Hamed Khalaf IRCS ambulance driver.
“The difficult situation we have been witnessing forced us to increase the number of paramedics to provide first aid and support the medical institutions in their response,” said Amer Hamed, Director if IRCS Thi-Qar branch.
