Iraqi military doctors meet for conference

Photo By Senior Airman Clayton Murray | U.S. Air Force Col. William W. Dodson III, command flight surgeon, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq Coalition Air Force Training Team surgeon / Iraqi air force Medical Services advisor and director of training (left), presented Iraqi army flight surgeons 1st Lt. Amer Abdul Jaleel and Capt. Sarmad Abdul-Qadem with certificates for completing a coalition training course. Iraqi Army Capt. Mohanned Talib, flight surgeon is also pictured (right).  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

05.08.2009

Story by Van Williams 

Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq Public Affairs

BAGHDAD — Iraq's military physicians gathered for a two day conference sponsored by the Ministry of Defense.

Iraqi army Maj. Gen. Samir, Ministry of Defense surgeon general, hosted the conference at the MoD Headquarters in Baghdad, on May 4.

The theme of the two-day gathering was, "Working together for advanced military medical services." The conference covered the achievements of the past year and looked forward to the future of Iraq's military medical professionals.

The doctors worked on many challenges facing the military medical corps, including quality control on medications, allocation of supplies, developing a standard medical history form and recruiting new doctors.

"We need more doctors and nurses," Dr. Samir said. The group is working on recruiting incentives for students, like tuition reimbursement.

One of the highlights for the medical corps is having one of the most technically advanced prosthetic clinics in the region.

Another positive development happened in March when Iraqi Air Force Flight Surgeons, Maj. Abdulrazzaq and 1st Lt. Hazem presented their findings on a fatal Iraqi Mi-17 helicopter crash to the annual NATO Flight Surgeons' Conference held at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

According to U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Kane, Multi-National Security Transition Command — Iraq Coalition Air Force Training Team commander, "They received a resounding ovation from the other conference attendees as the only presenters in the history of the conference from the Middle East. This initiative will result in a more capable Iraqi Air Force, and it is a vital step toward ensuring Iraq's self-sufficiency during the critical transition from coalition to Iraqi-led operations in support of the Security Agreement between Iraq and the United States."

The group also discussed the building of military hospitals. "We hope to have six hospitals throughout Iraq, including Baghdad, by 2020," Samir said. But with the current government budget shortfall, only seven percent of the medical corps requests are being met. "With the help of our coalition partners and emergency funding from the Ministry of Defense, we will make it through and finish the Baghdad hospital."

The group hopes to meet monthly, in a less formal setting, to share information and improve the professional standardization of the medical corps.

• Date Taken: 05.08.2009
• Date Posted: 05.09.2009 05:47
• Story ID: 33417
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ