Since the city’s liberation, AMAR teams have been working on the ground to identify areas that could best serve the needs of returnees. After months of site visits, AMAR is thrilled to announce that it will soon begin work to rehabilitate, resource, and reopen an existing government health clinic in the village of Bazwaya, located just East of the city.
While humanitarian efforts are underway throughout the Mosul region, many of the smaller and lesser known communities – like Bazwaya – remain isolated. The current conditions in Bazwaya mean that returning populations face a number of threats as they return home, including communicable diseases, and illness and infection from injuries.
Winter is also quickly approaching Bazwaya, which will put more stress on families who are returning to a region that has been largely reduced to rubble.
Once opened, the Bazwaya PHCC is expected to serve a catchment area of around 15,000 patients.
AMAR teams anticipate that additional patients will also travel to the PHCC from rural areas to access urgently needed healthcare and emergency services.
AMAR’s health professionals believe that some of the most pressing health challenges affecting returning communities will be a lack of emergency care, care for patients with chronic conditions, and maternal and child health service.
Once opened, the Bazwaya PHCC will address these issues through an active patient referral system, enhanced community health training initiatives, and additional training for local staff on how to provide psychosocial support to these traumatized communities.
“We have to do everything we can to help these families,” said Shereen, an AMAR nurse currently serving displaced Mosul families at an AMAR clinic in Qaymawa Camp. “They are just like us, but ISIS took their town and not ours. I want to help these neighbors of mine. We are one family in Iraq, and need to work that way.”
AMAR continues to seek funding and support to rehabilitate and open more centers throughout the region, to offer primary healthcare and psychosocial support for the victims of ISIS. If you can help, please donate and help rebuild lives.
by Sarah Hollis
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