An estimated 770,000 people in the Western Ninewa province of Iraq will benefit from eight tons of essential medicines delivered Oct. 24 by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Turkey. Three major hospitals and 37 primary health clinics in the cities of Telafer, Sinjar, Al-Ba’aj and surrounding areas received the supplies. The shipment is part of a larger project in which ADRA shipped more than 45 tons of medicines and other supplies to the country.

“These drugs were very much needed and arrived at the right time,” wrote Dr. Fawzi M. Mohammad, director of the Telafer Hospital.

ADRA Turkey staff are coordinating the project from Istanbul, but traveled to Iraq to hand over the drugs.  Under tight security, the medicines were passed to Iraqi health officials at the border of Iraq and Turkey. Sixteen representatives from the region and five workers came to receive their share of drugs. The Ministry of Health (MoH) Facility Protection Service (FPS) escorted the medicines to the project area.

The project grant came from the German Government and ADRA Germany and is valued at U.S. $192,000. ADRA Turkey worked with ADRA Germany and ADRA Iraq in organizing the project. The MoH granted ADRA special permission to send medical support to the Western Ninewa Province.

“We appreciate, by all means, ADRA’s…and [the] German Government’s humanitarian efforts toward our people. We hope your support will continue for us to pass this hard time for our country. God bless you,” wrote Dr. Mohammad. 

In a letter of thanks, Dr. Keffah Katoo, director of Sinjar Hospital wrote, “The people of Sinjar and I will not forget [ADRA’s] humanitarian acts for us, our children, and for our future.”

The number of outpatients served by the three hospitals receiving the medicines exceeds 37,500 people and 3,425 inpatients.  The recipient primary health clinics care for some 92,600 outpatients.

ADRA is present in more than 120 countries providing individual and community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, or ethnicity. Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.