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[casi] Letter from an Iraqi doctor: A cry for help



A letter from Iraq

The medical services has been devastated by three wars during the last
25 years plus 13 years of sanctions, and the negligence of the previous
regime, the infrastructure including hospitals and medical clinics were
damaged or destroyed, the medical services almost collapsed, the
standards of medical schools deteriorated, the morale and scientific
standard dropped, this dehumanization and insult was reflected on
Patients, and patient care declined to near zero standards, many young
doctors suffered from poverty and had to leave the medical profession
and work in another job that pays money to live, many left the country.
The young doctors suffered the most (house officers, senior house
officers, registrars) they had no rights as human beings, as doctors, or
citizens, their salary was about 2 dollars a month!! the conditions in
the medical residence were appalling , the food was terrible , the air
Conditions were not working, the working hours were exhausting, all this
was reflected on the patients which were treated badly, and they victims
number one. The policy of the previous regime destroyed the scientific,
moral, ethical, humanitarian, side of the medical profession,

Now after the regime has changed and the Security Council has approved
lifting sanctions, we Iraqis are trying to rebuild our country. British
Doctors were in Iraq and their contribution in establishing hospitals
and medical colleges will never be forgotten,

We need help

We need help in all aspects, including medical journals, CD-ROMs,
medical books, open internet access to the medical journals and
libraries, refreshing training courses to update the senior doctors,
jobs and possibly scholarships for junior doctors and post graduate
studies, we will be honoured to invite lecturers to come to Baghdad, we
also will look forward of having the part one of the MRCP FRCS MRCOG
exam in Baghdad, as it was in the late seventies, when the security
conditions are established  .
In the future would it be possible to consider to look into the prospect
of establishing a new medical school and hospital (may be private
sector) like the one in Lebanon (AUB) or the gulf.

We know that security must be established to start reconstruction of our
medical social and economic infrastructure, and we hope that it will
improve gradually in the future

We are confident that you will participate actively and dynamically

Anwar Barnouti MRCP (UK)

barnouti_a@yahoo.com

--
---- N A B A
The National Association of British Arabs

Tel/Fax:        ++44 (0)1780 765 655
Address:        PO Box 77, Stamford PE9 2WQ, UK.
Website:        http://www.naba.org.uk
EMAIL:          naba@BritishArabs.com

NABA is an independent British organisation working for the interests of the
Arab community within Britain.  It encourages a positive Arab contribution to
British life and promotes integration without surrendering Arab identity.  It
works to build bridges with the indigenous population and other ethnic groups
and promote positive media awareness of Arabs, their heritage and culture and
their views.  In addition it seeks to initiate better collective communications
with local and central government and NGOs to address the difficulties faced by
Arabs within Britain in respect of unemployment, racial discrimination, etc.
Membership is open to all individuals and organisations
interested in Arab culture and affairs.




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