Iraq | News | In focus | Mobile clinics: providing health services to those most in need

Mobile clinics: providing health services to those most in need

Print PDF

Sardina’s mother, speaks to WHO about the assistance that she received from the mobile clinic teamSardina’s mother, speaks to WHO about the assistance that she received from the mobile clinic team. Photo credit: WHO/P Ajello13 November 2014 – Ensuring access to basic health services for internally displaced people (IDP) in the Kurdistan region is a critical pillar of WHO’s support. 

Twenty-four mobile medical teams in Duhok currently provide consultations and medicines to treat common illnesses while ensuring referral of cases requiring specialized care. Thirteen-year-old Sardina Gazwan an IDP from Bashiqa is one of the thousands of the displaced persons who received medical care from the mobile team. Sardina was treated for an ulcer in her hand as a result of an abscess due to unknown cause. Subsequently she developed a fever and occasional chills which worried her mother. 

Thankfully for Sardina’s mother, the mobile medical team made a timely outreach visit, “I am glad for the medical services that this mobile team has provided to treat my daughter’s ulcer,” she said. 

Thousands of people like Sardina are living in unfinished buildings, under road bridges and schools in Duhok, Erbil and Suleimaniya. Many are benefiting from the services of mobile medical teams and clinics. An average of 150 people are seen in one visit; majority of patients are women and children. The most common diseases reported are upper respiratory tract infections, followed by acute watery diarrhoea and skin rashes. The mobile medical teams in Duhok work six days a week and are seriously overstretched.

A mother receives medicine for her baby from mobile pharmacy team during a visit by the mobile clinic team to Sararm school in Duhok. A mother receives medicine for her baby from mobile pharmacy team during a visit by the mobile clinic team to Sararm school in Duhok. Photo credit: WHO/P Ajello In Duhok, a mobile team consists of four medical staff: medical doctor, nurse, a pharmacy assistant, and driver. Other partners are also supporting mobile clinics in the governorate. Partners include: UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières, International Medical Corps and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Currently in Duhok, there are 21 mobile clinics supported by health partners covering over 1600 locations. WHO would like to see an expansion in the number of mobile teams and their frequency of visits to one site of at least twice a month, however, due to limited resources this has not been possible. More funding would enable the expansion of the number of mobile clinic teams to deliver the much needed health care support to more displacement sites. 

In light of these emerging needs, WHO is appealing for U $ 187 million to support health interventions but has only received US$ 54 million, representing a funding gap of 71%. In the coming month, the health situation is expected to deteriorate further among the displaced people and host communities due to winterization.  

Related links

UNICEF
Médecins Sans Frontières
International Medical Corps
International Medical Corps and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Social media

WHO Jordan twitter WHO Iraq Twitter

Key health-related statistics

Total population (000s) 37 140
Total health expenditure on health (% of general government expenditure) 6.5
Maternal mortality ratio (per 100 000 live births) 50
Number of primary health care units and centres (per 10 000 population) 0.7
Total life expectancy at birth (years) 69.8

Source: Framework for health information systems and core indicators for monitoring health situation and health system performance, 2018

See Iraq country profile

Regional Health Observatory

WHO collaboration

WHO Representative

Contact us

The WHO Representative for Iraq
11181

Iraq WHO headquarters page