WHO Country Office in Iraq

WHO Country Office in Iraq

TB twinning programme with centre in Milan to build capacity and improve quality of TB laboratory services in Iraq

A joint WHO-National TB Control Program (NTP) Iraq mission was conducted to Milan, Italy from 22-30 January 2011 to explore the possibility and priority areas for collaboration/twinning programme with the Fondazione Centro San Raffaele del Monte Tabor (FONDAZIONE), Milan. The FONDAZIONE is a laboratory for Emerging Bacterial Pathogens and Supra National Reference Laboratory (SNRL) for TB control that provides technical assistance in TB bacteriological diagnosis to many countries globally. The NTP-Iraq has the objective of exploring collaboration in the areas of capacity building, technical assistance, quality assurance and research (operational and scientific). Both institutions possess certain skills and technology which can aid in achieving the stated objectives. The mission was very successful and the following areas for collaboration have been identified:

To request the FONDAZIONE to act as SNRL for the National Reference Lab of Iraq – the cost of this support will be covered partially from the Round 9 Global Fund TB grant as well as support received from the government of Iraq.
An NGO within FONDAZIONE (AISPO) has been identified as being able to support the twinning programmes between medical universities or colleges of Milan and Baghdad.
Planned collaboration between Stop TB Italy and Iraqi Medical Association (IATA) to share clinical knowledge on case management and specific technical assistance on organization of MDR-TB training activity in Erbil.

Keeping Iraq malaria-free

No indigenous malaria cases were reported in Iraq during 2009 and 2010. To maintain Iraq free of malaria, a field malaria programme assessment is underway with the full support from WHO. The assessment will be finalized by the end of January 2011.
The assessment report will be used to develop a malaria strategy to maintain the country’s malaria-free status. This success is due to the comprehensive package of control and preventive measures that have been conducted with full technical and logistic support from WHO, including the following: spraying campaigns conducted in April and September every year, fogging activities, provision of long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets, rodent control activities, training activities inside and outside Iraq (fellowships), entomological surveillance activities, development and update of guidelines, early diagnosis and treatment (ensure availability of anti-malaria drugs), and strengthening malaria surveillance (active and passive).

Source: Ministry of Health-WHO

The Humanitarian Day was proclaimed by the General Assembly two years ago to commemorate the 2003 Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad, Iraq, which claimed the lives of 22 UN staff members and injured more than 150 others, among which two dearest senior colleagues were survived.

Victims of security incidents

This year exactly after the elections, one of the best dedicated WHO worker, Mrs Raqiya lost her life along with her son in car bombing event targeted residential area, the explosion happened while she was presuming her work from home thinking that she is protecting herself from unpredictable, unexpected surrounded suicide events. Raqiya has joint proudly others heroes from WHO staff and humanitarian aid workers who have devoted their life to serve their families, community and firstly their country.

Despite dangers, health workers dedicated to help people in need in Iraq

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Mobile water quality laboratory:
Field measurements, quality assurance, safer drinking-water for better health in Iraq

While oil may be the key to Iraq’s future, safe water is a far more immediate concern.

“In 2007, I was diagnosed with cholera and stayed six days at the hospital being treated,” said Ammar Aziz, a bike repairperson in his mid-30s living in an isolated area of Sulaymaniyah. “I was worried for my five-year old son, my wife and my family that the water in our area was contaminated. There was no awareness or information about ‘safe water’ and how to take precautions to protect ourselves from such water-borne diseases. Luckily, the standard of medical care remained high and my treatment was excellent,” stated Ammar. ”However, I was scared that my family would get infected too, sooner or later”.

Helping to cure tuberculosis in Iraq

I will volunteer myself to help dispel the stigma associated with tuberculosis in my society… I will never let tuberculosis destroy individuals’ or families’ lives…No patient should be blamed for being ill and should not have to hide or avoid treatment because of stigma", asserts 33-year-old Wisam Raheem, a father of two, who has just completed treatment for tuberculosis after suffering more than 10 years of psychological and physical distress.

Hundreds of Fishermen Vow to Participate in Improving the Quality of Healthy Life and Protecting the Environment

Iraq’s Marshlands are the largest wetland habitat in the Middle East, but years of damming, drainage, pollution and illegal practices of fishermen have rendered the area inadequate for the survival of the area’s plants, animals, and humans. WHO, in collaboration with the government, civil societies and local community has been involved in planning for environmental health awareness as part of the LADP efforts in Missan, Thi-Qar, and Al-Basrain the re-building of the Marshlands and training in community participatory environmental protection.