Iraq: More health care delivered to people in return areas of Ninewa [EN/AR]
10 May 2019 – As WHO strives to support the government of Iraq to increase access to health care for thousands of people who have returned to Ninewa, the agency has established a third primary health care facility in Ninawa governorate to meet the life-saving health needs in Telefar district serving both Zummar and Rabeaa sub-districts.
Positioned in the one of the most remote area of Tal Marak Center, located 60 km to the west of Mosul city, this health facility will serve a catchment population of over 150,000 people. It is offering Emergency and Maternity health services. Other services offered include, laboratory, pharmacy, referral services, and health promotion activities. The Early Warning Alert and Response Network covers this catchment area.
The health facility has been staffed and equipped by WHO and targets to serve the most urgent and critical health needs of returnees in the area of Talafar. In addition to operational support that will be provided to the health facilities, WHO is committed to providing the needed essential medicines, support supervision and disease surveillance and reporting. More than 1481 people have benefited from this health facility since it commenced operations in April 2019.
The health facility is being run by WHO’s implementing partner DARY and funded by a generous contribution from the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance. Currently, WHO remains the major agency supporting health services in areas of return; including Sinoni, Ba’aj town, Shandokha village near Al Kasak junction and Al Wahda sector inside Talafar City after all, the primary health care centers were destroyed during the crisis that ended more than 1 year ago.
Telefar district has one general hospital with limited capacity and accessibility for all people in the district. WHO’s intervention aims to support far reaching villages of returnees in Zummar and Rabeaa sub-districts with services other than the Primary Health Care, that is the emergency and maternity.
WHO will continue to support the Ministry of Health and directorates of health to cover critical gaps in service delivery, however, given the rapid pace of resettlement, the needs are enormous. This range from ensuring that primary health care coverage to all areas with damaged health centers and hospitals in Ninewa is available.
For more information, please contact:
Pauline Ajello
WHO Communications Officer
+964) 7729877288; ajellopa@who.int
Ajyal Sultany
WHO Communications Officer
+964) 7740 892 878; sultanya@who.int
Gheeda Mayahi
WHO Communications Officer
+964) 7827886765; almayahig@who.int
