Photo By Lt. Col. Christopher Belcher | An Iraqi worker prepares a tile to be cut prior to installation in the expectant...... read more read more
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By Maj. Chris Belcher
22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
FORWARD OPERATING BASE PALIWODA, BALAD, Iraq --A good night's sleep is important for good health, it's even more important when you're a patient in a hospital.
Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, helped the patients of Balad General Hospital get their rest by delivering almost 100 beds from Forward Operating Base Paliwoda, Aug. 28.
The Iraqi soldiers had some help from Coalition Forces but this mission was about Iraqis taking care of Iraqis.
Captain Lana Wormstadt, team leader, Team 24, Company B, 445th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, acquired the beds, coordinated transportation and worked with the 5-7 Military Transition Team to have the Iraqi army deliver the beds to the hospital.
"The emphasis is on the Iraqi army doing this mission," said Wormstadt.
First Lt. Jassim Hassan Katham, battalion maintenance officer, 3rd Battalion, took charge of his men after a quick discussion with Wormstadt. They loaded a cargo truck provided by 5-7 Cavalry with the first set of beds.
Workers from the Balad General Hospital helped the Iraqi soldiers unload the beds after the convoy arrived on the hospital grounds. They stacked the beds on the ground, before moving them inside the hospital rooms for the patients.
The beds will increase the ability of the hospital to help people in the local area by increasing its patient treatment capacity.
"Our hospital was built in 1972 and started with 100 beds," said Dr. Qasim-Hatam AlKaisy, director of Balad General Hospital. "In 2000 it was increased to 147 beds."
AlKaisy said because the hospital serves more than 200,000 people in Balad and the surrounding area there are more patients than beds.
"Sometimes they have to lay on the floor," he said.
The beds the Iraqi soldiers delivered will go in the hospital and its new emergency room opened the same day the beds were delivered.
AlKaisy cut the ribbon at the door to the new building in a small simple ceremony attended by the Balad mayor, the city council, Iraqi soldiers and Coalition Forces. He then proudly walked everybody through showing them the new facility.
The hospital's emergency room was modeled from a typical small American hospital's emergency room. It will provide services such as x-ray and trauma surgery to Balad and the local area assisting up to 1,000 people a day.
This mission is just another way the Iraqi Security Forces are helping to make Iraq a better place to work, live and get healthy.
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2005 13:04 |
| Story ID: | 3074 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 18 |
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