M A I N   N E W S

Indian doctors to run Iraq hospital
Girja Shankar Kaura
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 1
Even as the government waits for the situation to unfold on the issue of sending troops for the stabilisation force in Iraq, it has been decided to send a large contingent of Indian doctors and supporting personnel to start and maintain health care services at the 250-bedded hospital being upgraded by India at Najaf, about 15 km south of Baghdad.

Official reports here suggested that about 75 Indian doctors and support personnel will be deputed to Iraq shortly to run the hospital till it is handed over to the Iraqi Ministry of Health. They will be picked from the armed forces and work independent of the US charge.

The sources here said no date had yet been finalised for sending the team of doctors.

The doctors and supporting personnel will be deputed as part of India’s commitment of US $ 20 million in cash and kind announced for Iraq under the UN emergency appeal for providing assistance to the people of that country.

In response to the Iraqi Ministry of Health’s ‘Adopt a Hospital’ programme, India is already renovating this hospital in Najaf in collaboration with the Government of Jordan. The project involves enhancement and upgradation of the existing 250-bedded Maternity and Pediatric Care Hospital, besides setting up mobile units.

The Army had earlier sent three teams comprising of over 10 doctors to carry out relief work at three places in Iraq. They returned after doing work which has also been recognised by the UN authorities.

The first team of senior Army doctors — all Brigadiers — was sent to Iraq in June to assess the logistics of running such a hospital and identify the range and nature of medical services required. The four-member team, which also included an official from the Ministry of External Affairs had first gone to Amman (Jordan) to work on the details for setting up the hospital jointly. Jordan then had already set up a field hospital in Iraq.