Baghdad 22 January 2019 – Responding to the need of the Directorate of Health in Diyala, WHO with the support of the generous donors, has arranged for a large consignment of medical kits and medical supplies to support the Directorate. A shipment of four 40-feet trucks of kits and medical supplies was transported on 14 January 2019 to support returnees’ districts in Diyala governorate, 84 kilometers east of Baghdad.
As Diyala is one of the crisis affected governorate and in line with the objectives of Humanitarian Response Plan, WHO, in coordination with Diyala health directorate, developed an action plan to support the returnees and the IDPs families in the governorate during 2019.
“This shipment is the first of its kind that was delivered to Diyala and an important step of WHO’s intervention in the governorate as part of 2019 plan.” Said Dr. Adham Ismail, Acting Representative of WHO Iraq.
Dr. Ali Hussain al-Temimi, Director General of Diyala DoH pointed out that the shipment would save the lives of population in the governorate and can be used by mobile clinics offering health care and services to IDPs. “It came in difficult time as the country suffers of lack of resources to provide the necessary and lifesaving medications, medical equipment and supplies.” Said Dr. alTemimi. “We are happy and highly appreciate WHO’s support to our directorate. His Excellency the Governor of Diyala instructed to send a letter of appreciation to WHO and its staff in Iraq for the valuable assistance they rendered. He also urged WHO to continue its work according to the agreed upon plan to provide medicine, construct a health center in far rural area, train staff on statistical programs, create a software to connect health centers with DoH and MoH, support exceptional campaigns for immunization, provide insecticides and pesticides for vector control in liberated areas and provide assistance to the 3 IDPs camps in Diyala” added Dr. al-Temimi.
“The support by WHO and partner agencies came as a lifeline for the governorate.” said Mr.
Wisam Mohammed Ahmed, Head of Pharmacy Department at the Directorate of Health in Diyala. “It will help the medical staff in hospitals and medical centers to work more efficiently and offer better care to patients.” Mr. Ahmed added.
The consignment included supplementary module pharmaceutical kits, supplementary module equipment, supplementary module renewable kits, traumatological profile/emergency kits, medical supplies support kits, basic units’ w/o malaria, ringer lactate and sodium chloride.
The support to the Directorate of Health in Diyala was made possible through generous contributions from donors and health partners especially The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance - USAID-OFDA and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations - ECHO.
For more information, please contact:
Gheeda AlMayahi WHO Communications Officer (+964) 7827886765, almayahig@who.int
Pauline Ajello WHO Communications Officer (+964) 7510101460, ajellopa@who.int