Photo By Master Sgt. Brock Jones | Dr. Nazar Ahmed Jasim al-Ankaby, the deputy director general of Medical City,...... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Brock Jones
Multi-National Division – Baghdad
BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Ministry of Health in Baghdad is the center of the Iraqi healthcare system. Near the MOH, in fact practically next door, is a seven-hospital complex known as Medical City.
If the MOH is the brain of the healthcare system, then Medical City is the heart.
Lt. Col. David Ristedt, division surgeon of 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division – Baghdad, and Col. Craig Collier, commander of 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, met with leaders of Medical City to assess concerns and issues regarding the security of the complex and to see mechanical issues in some of the buildings firsthand Sept. 24, 2008.
"The purpose of this visit is to show local leaders that Medical City is a safe place for their people to come for care," said Ristedt, a native of Logansport, Ind.
"With the Iraqi army and force protection services and, for that matter, the Iraqi police who are protecting this compound ... I would feel comfortable walking around without my (personal protective equipment) on."
Convincing the Iraqi people of that very fact was one of the purposes for the visit. The intent was to have local leaders from various neighborhoods in Baghdad meet with coalition forces and talk with administrators of Medical City to see for themselves the security situation and to understand the benefits of using the facilities provided there. Although all of the scheduled visitors did not attend, the meeting went on as planned.
"The memories of having people come here a year and a half ago and disappear and be kidnapped and never seen again is still out there," said Collier, about concerns leaders in his area of operations have expressed. "We still get reports that a lot of people will not go to Medical City because they just don't trust (the security), and that's part of the outreach that people need to understand."
Building trust in the security of Medical City, and eventually in the entire Iraqi healthcare system, is a desire shared not only by coalition forces but by Iraqi medical officials also.
"Medical City is here to serve the entire population of Iraq, not just Baghdad or some districts," said Dr. Nazar Ahmed Jasim al-Ankaby, the deputy director general of Medical City. "We are honored to receive patients from all our districts. This complex is for all Iraqi people."
Not only does Medical City serve the entire population of Iraq, as the "heart" of healthcare, it also provides a wide range of medical services and a place for future health professionals to learn their trade.
"There's a surgical hospital, which is 18 floors high; there's a pediatric hospital; there's a nursing hospital, a nursing home or geriatric-type hospital. There's a cardio hospital now," said Maj. Gregory Brewer, a native of Louisville, Ky., who serves as deputy chief of medical operations with 4th Inf. Div. and MND-B.
"So, they've really expanded out what they're doing," he continued, but their real goal was to teach physicians at Medical City and that Medical City would be the premier healthcare center for Iraq.
By continuing attempts to strengthen confidence in the healthcare "heart" of Iraq, the hope is that the entire system will be strengthened.
Following the visit with Jasim, the group walked the complex, briefly touring the teaching hospital and the bottom floor of the 18-story surgical hospital.
Collier was interested in seeing the elevator system of the surgical hospital where only half of the elevators actually work. After more than 15 minutes in a lobby crowded with men, women and children waiting for the elevators, some of whom were wheelchair-bound and bandaged, Collier said he had seen all he needed to see. There was no doubt the elevators needed fixing.
As the visitors and Soldiers loaded up in the vehicles to return to the various bases they had come from, there was also no doubt as to the overall need to continue efforts to improve the facilities and to convince the entire population of Iraq that Medical City is a viable and safe place to bring their sick and wounded.
| Date Taken: | 09.29.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2008 04:24 |
| Story ID: | 24260 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 187 |
| Downloads: | 112 |
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